I LOOKED BACK

 

CULTIVATING GROWTH MINDSET

A handsome young man looking back /Photo Gvexx

Next Level

And I saw a distance. A distance I have covered in the last two years. It was a long distance. And it revealed a lot of things. Things that I have had to endure while covering the distance. In the distance are a mixture of things. Good and bad. But that is not the point. The most important thing that I saw when I looked back. Was the fact that I have traveled so far from my initial starting point. I have covered a lot of miles. Miles that I never knew I will cover. Because when I started the journey. I did not know how to get to my next destination. I was sort of thrusted in the distance. I had not planned for it. I never wanted to cover any distance. I was okay doing what I love. I was contented. I loved the progress I was making. And I was thinking of something else. Something good. A thing that was going to usher me into my next level.

That is what I initially wanted. A next level in the things that I loved doing. The next level that I thought about was not a journey. It had nothing to do with covering several miles. I thought about a smooth transition from where I was to the next upgrade. Where everything I was doing will become ten times better. Ten times better excited me. I was ready for that kind of challenge. I had the experience. I had collected a lot of receipts. And they all told the same story. I was ready for next level. I will do well in my next promotion. Change of time had prepared me very well. And I was ready psychologically. However, when I put everything in motion for the big change. I got a journey. A journey that had not anticipated. So you can imagine the confusion. And even frustration. But two years later. I found perspective.

My next level was not going to be what I had envisioned. A straight forward transition into a beautiful corner office. The journey has taught me that if I have to end up with the incredible corner office at all. I will have to fight for it. Not walk into it. But fight for it. I still want to perform at ten times better speed. That is what I had prepared for. So I have been fighting for my next level. And in the mixture of experiences on the journey. I think I have had to endure more bad things than good things. The journey has not been smooth. Yet, I have covered so much distance. The distance that I saw when I looked back was full of threats. There were a lot of obstacles that were strategically placed on the way. These hurdles were meant to prevent me from covering any real miles. They were designed to derail me. And when they thought that derailment alone was not enough. Frustration and discouragement were added to the mix.

Discernment

A hard working man looking sharp /Photo /Laura Garcia

And when I figured how to tackle the obstacles. A new twist will come up to make my breakthrough even harder. So I spent a lot of time trying to understand the new twists. The time spent figuring out further delayed my advancement. I looked as if I was stuck. And it was gradually becoming clear that I might not get to my next level. Maybe, my dreams of taking things to the next level will die in the jungle. Because I was stuck in purgatory of derailment. It was as if my every next move was leading me to an even deeper hole than my last step. I was scared in the journey. I did not know what I was doing. I was on a path less traveled. With a lot of uncertainties. And this increased my frustration. I was disappointed. And saddened. I did not understand why I had to endure all that hardship. I had a simple request.

A request to grow and become more. However, in reality. What appeared simple was not simple at all. I needed to think and perceive better. If what I had prepared for almost my entire professional life was being challenged like this in the journey. Then what was in my next level that was making hell panic? Because it was almost impossible to get there. I was definitely not having a good time. I had to fight all the time. At one point, I had to fight for my survival. Because a flood of obstacles presented itself. And I am not a good swimmer. Those obstacles looked forced. They were meant to prevent me from making any progress at all. And it became apparent that if I had to make any progress at all. I needed to be bold enough. To go for a head on collision. Something was going on. And my progress depended on me figuring out what was happening.

Stuck is not My Style

Excited professionals moving to the next level /Photo Courtesy /Yan Krukau

I was not going to remain stuck. Stuck is not my thing. Being stagnant is now my worst enemy. I could not stand those obstacles. I had to move forward no matter the circumstances. Threats don’t scare me, especially when my eyes are on something bigger. I have to be strong. I have to find courage. I had to stamp my foot. And determine whether I will survive or die in the wilderness. I was definitely not going to die. I needed to find a way in the middle the challenges. You can imagine how fierce the fight became. To cover the many miles that I see. I had to think outside the box. If obstacles were coming at me as a flood. I needed to respond as a tornado. I was looking for my next level. And making progress required a next level energy. I had to find that kind of energy to wither the flood.

And while in the midst of all those bad things in the journey. I also found good things. I found songs. Whose lyrics told me that I will make it. The songs confirmed that I was on the right path. And next level was not going to be smooth. I had to adjust my expectations. Real-life experiences in the journey. Signposted that there was nothing easy about next level. If I had to perform my duties ten times better. I had to be prepared to fight with demons. Whose purpose was to present worst scenario after the other. Until I gave up or leveled up. However, when I look back right now. I have a smile. I found courage to level up. I was a worthy fighter. The miles can speak for themselves. I am a few steps to my next level. I can see next level. I know how it looks like. And I can also see the location of my corner office.

I love that location. It will make me better. My productivity will be unmatched. I will conquer one nation after the other from that corner office. But it was not easy. The battle in the journey mirrored the obstacles in the future. I had to pay the price. I had to prove that I deserved the promotion. And that I was ready for my next responsibility. My tools of trade had to be sharpened. And moving forward, I will have to live at the edge of wisdom. Because plain eyes alone. Cannot sustain you in a next level. You have to be the right person for the moment. The right person in all ways and all the time. You can’t fake a next level energy. It is either you have it or not. The two years have given me the wisdom I will need for ten years. The journey made me wiser. The obstacles I endured trained my hands and mind. I am ready.