We often repeat patterns until we absorb the lessons they teach...
... and I've noticed we're frequently tested (or triggered) to reinforce these lessons.
- The alcoholic relapses until they fully embrace their new identity
- The athlete suffers recurring injures until they prioritize recovery
- The couple lives check to check until they address the root cause of their spending
I believe what's mean for you will always find you.
However, if you don't accept responsibility for your present reality...
... what's meant for you can never find you - sabotaging your potential.
Your growth, then, comes in the response to the event... not from the event itself.
... thus placing personal development within your control.
On one hand, this offers a fantastic opportunity to design the life you desire...
... on the other, this proves to be terrifying for those who attribute challenges to external forces.
Here's a example from this past week:
A few days ago I bumped into a former boss from my early days at Hyatt Hotels.
We exchanged pleasantries and a short life update.. as is customary.
Yet, this brief interaction momentarily transported me back to the mindset I had a decade ago.
Though fleeting, it prompted deep introspection and a subsequent reaffirmation of my self-worth.
Here's why...
When we transform ourselves, we alter our worldview and how people perceive us.
Previous relationships are "paused," and if not revisited in our minds, they remain frozen in time.
I had justified my decision to leave a stable job by criticizing the bureaucratic corporate career path.
This encounter made me reevaluate that - and even question if I had made the correct choice.
The Key Realization: There's no universally "right" or "wrong" path, only the one you choose.
If you consistently align with what you know is serving who you want to become - you can't go wrong.
It's the difference between believing you did 'good' and did 'good enough.'
One presupposes you've reached your limit, the other that you can always find room for improvement.
*This is different than a 'never enough' mentality.
Ultimately, life is a tapestry of experiences - not a list of achievements...
... though that's what western society would like us to believe (commercialization).
At the end, all you'll be left with are your memories, moments, and personal milestones.
In short, choose work that works more on you than you work on it.
Through this, I realized I had previously valued status over my own development.
Not saying that can't exist - I'm saying that it didn't exist for me back then.
Corporate, entrepreneurial, or otherwise... if you do this, you'll always increase your marketplace value.
Enjoy the ride, choose relations over transactions, and challenge yourself daily.
Much love and Happy Saturday!