Days have gone by since you had your interview at your dream organization. No reply from them. Weeks have gone by since you have last heard from your friends. No reply from them. Months have gone by since you applied to post-graduate school. No reply from them. Years have gone by in university and you are still unsure as to what you want to be in the future. What is going on? You feel like you are tumbling in a downward spiral and there is no safety net to fall on. Well let me tell you something: you are amongst 99.99% of the population who has felt the feeling of being defeated. Why did things not go according to plan? Others have worked less hard than you, yet you are still jobless. Others are less smarter than you, yet you are still struggling in school. Why? Because life happens. And let me tell you one more thing: when it is your time to shine and transform your dreams into reality, don't let that opportunity go because trust me, your time will come. It comes for each and every one of us. It is not a question of "when" but rather "how."
Let me take you on a journey of life. A life that many of us have lived, will live or can relate to living. A life of ups, but many more downs. A life of success balanced with failure. A life of dreams and visions that more often than not remain just dreams and visions. None of us have lived or will live a perfect life. We need to accept the fact that before tasting the sweet taste of success, we will have to overcome challenges; some more severe than others. These challenges may take the form of failing an exam, not succeeding in an interview setting or even just not being sure of what type of career path to pursue. But the one characteristic that will set one of us apart from another is "patience," especially when life throws a curve-ball at us. I had to face many curve-ball's throughout my life, whether it related to my personal, educational and/or professional career. But the one thing aside from faith and family that got me through the tough times was patience and just knowing that the only way to go from the bottom is back up. It was all in my control.
The ones who are truly "successful" in life are not necessarily those that wear the most expensive clothes, drive the most expensive cars or live in the most luxurious of mansions. That form of success, especially given the fact that it revolves around tangible assets, is bound to depreciate over time. To me, a "successful" person is one who has held his/her head up high when facing the lowest of lows in life and has kept his/her head low when facing the highest of highs in life. When life does happen to bless us with either form of success, we need to remind ourselves as to how we got to where we are so that we can try to help others. Afterall, If everyone lived for themselves, where would this world be? If everyone helped no one but themselves, where would you be?
As I sit back and write this blog a couple of weeks before its intended release date, I am the first to admit that I am afraid of what the future holds for me. In a couple of days, I will find out my results for the last exam in the process of obtaining the CA designation. However, I know that regardless of me passing or failing this exam, life goes on. Life happens. In the event that I pass this exam, Friday will be one of the best days in my life! In the event that I do not pass the exam, it is another story that I can share with students and young professionals on how overcoming failure is the best way to learn from and experience life!
I want you to keep one thing in mind as this blog post comes to an end. Life for all of us, is not a one way street to success and happiness. It is guaranteed that there will be twists and turns along the path to self-fulfillment. However, when life does happen and tries to deter you from your dreams and aspirations, do not let go. Believe in yourself because it is in the moments that are most challenging that we grow and become stronger. Afterall, if you do not believe in yourself, who will?
The ones who are truly "successful" in life are not necessarily those that wear the most expensive clothes, drive the most expensive cars or live in the most luxurious of mansions. That form of success, especially given the fact that it revolves around tangible assets, is bound to depreciate over time. To me, a "successful" person is one who has held his/her head up high when facing the lowest of lows in life and has kept his/her head low when facing the highest of highs in life. When life does happen to bless us with either form of success, we need to remind ourselves as to how we got to where we are so that we can try to help others. Afterall, If everyone lived for themselves, where would this world be? If everyone helped no one but themselves, where would you be?
As I sit back and write this blog a couple of weeks before its intended release date, I am the first to admit that I am afraid of what the future holds for me. In a couple of days, I will find out my results for the last exam in the process of obtaining the CA designation. However, I know that regardless of me passing or failing this exam, life goes on. Life happens. In the event that I pass this exam, Friday will be one of the best days in my life! In the event that I do not pass the exam, it is another story that I can share with students and young professionals on how overcoming failure is the best way to learn from and experience life!
I want you to keep one thing in mind as this blog post comes to an end. Life for all of us, is not a one way street to success and happiness. It is guaranteed that there will be twists and turns along the path to self-fulfillment. However, when life does happen and tries to deter you from your dreams and aspirations, do not let go. Believe in yourself because it is in the moments that are most challenging that we grow and become stronger. Afterall, if you do not believe in yourself, who will?