Starting Over

 

Starting Over

We have all been there. It’s that moment when the sky is falling and the walls are closing in. It’s that moment when you realize that all that you hoped for and dreamed of will never come to fruition. All that you may have planned for your life will never materialize. That moment sucks. It’s cold, lonely, soul-crushing and it seems that there is no way out.

The good news is that there is always another way. There is always a way out. I know that it may not seem that way at that moment however, it’s true.

“After every dark night, there’s a bright day up ahead.” – Tupac Shakur

Do you think it a little cliché? Not entirely.  It is a fact that growth, progress, and ingenuity do not come easily. It certainly does not come without pain. It is no secret that stress in small doses can be healthy. And we all know that those who survive tremendous stress are all the stronger on the other side. The issue is getting through the madness and coming out sane on the other side. Sounds easy right? Well, we all know it’s not.

Getting over the worst moments in your life is no picnic and those who cannot handle the load, take a turn for the worse. Not all of us have someone to lean on to lighten the load. Friends and family sometimes can be the reason for the stress or anxiety we go through. This is not always the case but sometimes, it is. And I, personally, know what that feels like. Frankly, I have had onslaughts from those close to me and haters that barely know me. I have been cheated on by my partners, stabbed in the back by close friends and turned on by colleagues or co-workers due to their own insecurities.

This is the way the world works and I have accepted that. The backstabbing is no foreign idea as it has been a part of warfare since the beginning of warfare. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote on the art of surviving the political arena even if you are a nice guy and not some cutthroat who does whatever he or she needs to do to get ahead.

You do not need to “be” that kind of person to survive in this world. Learning how to handle such people and play their nefarious games to advance in this world without sacrificing your integrity. There are many ways to go about playing this game of life and business without becoming the sniveling, scheming, despicable human being that does this sort of thing naturally and uses others for their own gain in an effort to gain the slightest advantage.

The line between pushing ahead and pushing someone over to move ahead is a dangerous game. The trick is to be relentless in your pursuit of happiness without sacrificing the well being of others. This is where we will begin this journey.

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 IT’S TIME TO BURN THE SHIPS

For those who do not know the story here is a fable about a General from the Far East who was commanding a small army and getting ready to invade an enemy island. They were outnumbered, lacked weapon superiority and yet, they landed on the beach and gathered before the General. Unaware of what his plans were, his troops stood weary and scared. They knew the logistics of their situation and any idiot can do simple calculations; they were outmatched.

After making sure that each battalion was present, the General signaled for the archers to fire. Not knowing that the General had made preparations, the soldiers watched in horror as the arrows landed on the decks of their ships and set them ablaze. They stood on that beach watching as their only way home burned asunder. 

“I’ve burned the ships!” the General exclaimed. Their attention now wholly on their leader, the troops were filled with conflicting emotions. “There is only one way home now”, he continued. And drawing his sword and aiming it at the interior of the island, the truth became evident to all present on that beach. “We claim victory today, that is the only way we can go home.” His words were loud and clear. The task was as simple as it was daunting. “Conquer the island, defeat a more powerful enemy, for that is the only way you see your family again, that is the only way you survive,” said the General.

These words fueled the men so that they roared in anticipation of victory. It was as if each man had become a warlord in his own right and could not be defeated. Each man took on hundreds that day and was victorious.

Were they better or more skilled fighters? No.

Were they bigger and stronger than their enemies? No.

Were they men possessed by the unyielding will to win? Yes.

That is how we have to be in pursuit of our dreams. We need to burn the ships and give ourselves the monstrous task of defeating the enemy that is more powerful. Our doubts, our fears, our negativity. These are the demons that claw at our doors every single day. And these are the demons that need to be slain, every single day. Until we take the island, we need to burn the ships.

Burning the ships does not mean that you need to physically or financially take drastic action, albeit that would be a powerful motivator. In today’s terms, burning the ships would mean that we mentally decide that this is ALL we have and there is no other way.

Deciding now, today, this minute that achieving your goals and your dreams is now and will always be that which “has” to be done. No more are we allowed to procrastinate and say things like “I’ll start tomorrow, in two days, or even next week.”

"Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday." - Napoleon Hill (Author of Think and Grow Rich)

We have to burn the ships, draw our swords, and face the monsters at our doors with every fiber of our being.

“Only with an unbreakable spirit, will victory be achieved.” – Duane Carter

If you’ve enjoyed this short story and you’d like to support many more to come, caffeine keeps me going so if you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d really appreciate it.

Burn the ships. Conquer your fears. Achieve your goals.

Thank you for reading. 

 Duane Carter