Every now and then, we keep hitting these dead ends in our life. It is like a thick brick wall in front of you and darkness all around. It could hit anyone, anytime doing anything. Everything was fine until now and suddenly you are wondering where you are, what are you doing there? It is a time when you just have nowhere to go, dark all around and an endless brick wall in front of you.
It feels like the only option you have now is to hit your head on the brick wall. Well please don't do that my friend! You have just reached a phase that calls for a big change in what you are doing and the way you are doing things. It is like a multi-level video game where you have cleared the current level and it's time to hit the "next level" button. New setup, new challenges and new rewards await you.
I keep hitting these dead ends every now and then, specifically with respect to my investment activities and spend days just wondering .. what next .. what next .. I don't feel like reading the news anymore, I don't feel like looking at my portfolio, investing or researching anymore. But I am writing this blog because there are two paths from here and I need to remind myself of the right path when I hit this dead end again in life. Happens quiet frequently in my profession, at-least few times a year.
Path-I take a break and come back later
This is one approach, where you can just say "I am done with this .. i need a break" and just stop doing what you are doing. It is a feeling of loss and dejection that the smooth ride has come to an end with this endless brick wall in front of you. It is a feeling about having reached a wrong place, a dead end. You can take a complete break, in a sense walk backwards from the wall you just hit, wander around here and there, clear up you head and start fresh again ... in the sense get back on the path towards the brick wall again, maybe take a different path this time and do it all over again. However remember since you are practically walking the same path again, you will probably reach the same dead end .. pretty soon and pretty easily.
Path-II don't take a break, climb or jump the wall
This is the second approach. Here you realize that you are at this dead end because you have completed the current level. It is an achievement, a big accomplishment, there is nothing more left in this level of the game and you have to hit the "next level" button that will take you to the other side of the wall.
Next Level
Getting to the next level however will require you to be ready for lot of changes. Next level will be a less familiar arena compared to the last level you were playing for a long time. There will be new dangers but it will be exciting, there will be new rewards, better rewards, higher rewards to fetch and you will need to develop a new set of skills to win them and you can be rest assured that it will be sometime before you hit the next dead end.
How to cross dead ends
So what should you do when you hit a dead end again, here is my checklist
It feels like the only option you have now is to hit your head on the brick wall. Well please don't do that my friend! You have just reached a phase that calls for a big change in what you are doing and the way you are doing things. It is like a multi-level video game where you have cleared the current level and it's time to hit the "next level" button. New setup, new challenges and new rewards await you.
I keep hitting these dead ends every now and then, specifically with respect to my investment activities and spend days just wondering .. what next .. what next .. I don't feel like reading the news anymore, I don't feel like looking at my portfolio, investing or researching anymore. But I am writing this blog because there are two paths from here and I need to remind myself of the right path when I hit this dead end again in life. Happens quiet frequently in my profession, at-least few times a year.
Path-I take a break and come back later
This is one approach, where you can just say "I am done with this .. i need a break" and just stop doing what you are doing. It is a feeling of loss and dejection that the smooth ride has come to an end with this endless brick wall in front of you. It is a feeling about having reached a wrong place, a dead end. You can take a complete break, in a sense walk backwards from the wall you just hit, wander around here and there, clear up you head and start fresh again ... in the sense get back on the path towards the brick wall again, maybe take a different path this time and do it all over again. However remember since you are practically walking the same path again, you will probably reach the same dead end .. pretty soon and pretty easily.
Path-II don't take a break, climb or jump the wall
This is the second approach. Here you realize that you are at this dead end because you have completed the current level. It is an achievement, a big accomplishment, there is nothing more left in this level of the game and you have to hit the "next level" button that will take you to the other side of the wall.
Next Level
Getting to the next level however will require you to be ready for lot of changes. Next level will be a less familiar arena compared to the last level you were playing for a long time. There will be new dangers but it will be exciting, there will be new rewards, better rewards, higher rewards to fetch and you will need to develop a new set of skills to win them and you can be rest assured that it will be sometime before you hit the next dead end.
How to cross dead ends
So what should you do when you hit a dead end again, here is my checklist
- Don't think about taking a break
- Think what next
- Don't feel at loss when in front of the brick wall, don't go back from there
- Feel accomplished and press the "next level" button, climb or jump the wall
- Change things, adapt to the new level, learn new skills, take on new challenges and dangers, gather new rewards and enjoy !
- Go to experts, books, videos and listen to people who have covered much longer journeys, completed many more levels and try to get motivation from them, if you lack it
- Be a happy mario :)
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