The plan was written with such detail. The outlines were double-checked for accuracy and clarity. We got a headcount of the volunteers that would be on board with the project. All systems were go. Until this happened. The unexpected
The Unexpected
Cars break down and costly repairs are needed.
People take sick, get married, get jobs, have kids, or do all sorts of life-changing things that limit and prevent them from holding fast to their commitment.
Money runs low or runs out.
Paperwork needs filing, there were permits or licenses that no one realized was needed until the code enforcement officials showed up and demanded the operation be shut down immediately.
There is always something unexpected that happens. Always
Following the Unexpected
Coping with the calamity of disappointment can be even harder than the circumstance itself. We sit staring into the dismal distance of an irresolute misery. What happened to the fire of the strong beginning? It has been doused with the lousy nastiness of agonizing setback. All we can do is sit back and shake our heads in disbelief that all the work has come to this.
Failure comes. In Steve Harvey’s teaching “JUMP”, he encourages the dreamers, the people that are more than just day-to-day workers to JUMP. Stop hesitating and whatever it is they want in life, whatever they believe they are called to do, just JUMP and go after it.
His words in the same video explain that once you jump, you will probably crash and hit rock bottom. Very few people accomplish what they set out for at the first attempt. Many waste tons of time and money just trying to figure out what they would like to do.
Nevertheless, the ones that are brave enough to get up, dust themselves off and keep going are the ones that go on to perfection, accomplishing incredible feats.
WINSTON CHURCHILL
Early in his political career, Winston Churchhill’s disastrous First World War military campaign at Gallipoli forced him to resign from his position as First Lord of the Admiralty. Churchill had come up with a plan (later called “Churchill’s Folly”), but the plan utterly failed, and tens of thousands died. Winston Churchill was humiliated and demoted.
In an effort to cope, he became an infantry officer. While away from the political front, he learned more about dealing with life’s challenges, he thought about what he could have done better, rather than focusing on feeling overwhelmed by what he called his “black dog of depression.”
Churchill did some soul searching that provided him with new information about himself, his decision-making ability, and how his decisions affect others.
Too often we let the failure tell us that we are not able to finish, instead of allowing it to teach us the areas we must focus on that would enable us to finish.
Being stuck in a place of uncertainty is not a failure at all; it is, however, time to self-reflect constructively on how to better maintain our emotional fortitude and our determination.
JAMES BUSTER DOUGLAS
In 2018, James Buster Douglas had the biggest boxing match of his entire career in Tokyo Japan. He was going up against the hard-hitting, “one round and down” Iron Mike Tyson. Douglas’ reach gave him an advantage, but the champ was not called ‘Iron Mike’ for nothing.
In the eighth round, Douglas hit the mat. He was tired, dizzy, and off-balance. He lay there, wondering if he should even get back up. After all, he wasn’t the first person to be knocked out by Tyson, no big deal right?
His momentary lapse of concentration, the dizziness spent on the mat thinking about that brick-fisted blow he had just taken almost cost him the match.
But he got up!!!
James Buster Douglas got up from the match and gave Iron Mike Tyson hell for the next two rounds, knocking him out in the 10th.
What are we saying?
Anybody can give up. Anybody can quit. Quitting is not what champions are made of. A very major corporation that stands as industry leaders today, has periods in their history where they hit the mat, perhaps even thinking of staying down, but they got up.
3 R’s
So what do you do when you feel the brick-filled blow of miscalculated setback? What do you do when the plan does not work and things do not turn out as intended?
We have designed a strategy called the 3 Rs. This is only to be used when you know you have hit a wall and you really are considering giving up; do this first…
- Remember – Remember why you started in the first place. Did you count up the cost? If so, you know quite well that times such as these would arise. You have already considered how these periods of drought will not prevent you from digging into the wellspring of promise, you know this was coming. Remember why you started. Remember the resilience. Remember the determination. Remember the zeal. Remember the many things you did accomplish before this adversity came. You are farther along than when you began. Remember? Take time to remember.
- Recoil – You cannot restart because once something has been started, you are not starting, you are recoiling. Recoil is a kickback after a hard charge has been dissipated. Energy has been lost, but every discharge of energy has a residual. Allow the energy to heat you up again. Recoil, take back in the juice needed to get moving again. Then when it’s time, get moving again.
- Reassess – There has been a loss. Things are not the same and if you do not reassess your strategy, your resources, and your plan, you could easily wind up repeating the same tragedy. Reassess yourself. Look through the blueprint and learn what works versus what does not work. Reassess the plan, then take off.
It is not the end when things seem stifled and stalled. No, for the determined fighter, it is only a step in the development of something greater. A greater invention. A greater work. A greater vision. A greater you.