"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~ Aristotle

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

"Keep Calm, Carry On"

Surely you're seen various evolutions of the British propaganda slogan, "Keep Calm Carry On." I recently found myself using this phrase after receiving disappointing news on a job opportunity. I realized that repeating this when feeling down  seemed to lift my spirits. You see, I realized that no matter what happens in my personal or professional life, nothing is worth getting overly worked up about, and that sometimes being stopped cold gives us a chance to re-think our approach and outlook on opportunities.

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. After initially feeling frustrated over the news, I took some time to  evaluate where I went wrong. What happened next seemed unfathomable: I began thinking that sometimes we need doors closed in our faces. We often see the "closed door" as a sign of failure, but maybe we should see it as a sign of success.

This sounds like an odd concept, but think of it this way: did you ever consider that your success in a certain niche is vital to the organization? Have you stopped to consider that maybe you are valued more in your current role than you would be in a larger role? While people are certainly replaceable, sometimes the knowledge, dedication, and work ethic are not. Sometimes, in order to keep moving forward you have to maintain your pace while others sprint past.

Where am I going with this? During my introspection, I found that I have found the most success in an area others seek to avoid. I've re-evaluated my definition of "success" and found that while one door closed, the windows are open and I'm enjoying the view.

Keep calm, carry on.

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