We have gained more than we have lost
Dear Lloyd,
I find it difficult right now adjusting to the studyfrom-home arrangement.For some reason, the current setup of just staying at home does not inspire me. Maybe I am just bored but really, it does not make me feel good. I still hang on to the old dayswhere wecan study in school, and I havefriends to physically hang out with. If you can give me some motivational insights, I will appreciate it.
Jenny
Jenny,
It has been months since the coronavirus pandemic put the world into a hard stop — much like riding a car, enjoying the scenery, and then the driver suddenly stepping on the break. The passengers were not prepared. I think no one was. Little by little, people started to find their way out of the car — everybody trying to fight for their safety.
For now, some have already inched their way out while some may still be inside the car. I am not a judge to ask them what is taking them so long to get out. For sure, they have different struggles inside. I can only watch from a distance and hope they all make it out.
You are one of those trapped passengers. And let me tell how and why you should come out of the car alive. What holds you back inside is too little to compare to what you have outside the car. In other words, there is a future ahead of you should you survive.
Many have been a victim of wrong assumptions. They overthink; some people get paralyzed by the what-ifs that they are unable to respond to the situation quickly. Every delay that could have been prevented is every opportunity lost. We cannot assume that this crisis will last long because on March 15, 2020, we assumed that it would last for only 15 days but look at where we are now.
Some salespeople assumed that no one was going to buy now, except maybe if it was essential. But then again, real estate sales soared to the roof. Why are we buying houses and condominium units at this point? Insurance sales also went up at an unprecedented rate. I understand that many people may have realized the importance of real estate and insurance by now. Nonetheless, these two are not food and clothing.
But there were people who worked harder than the rest and proved that what we assume sometimes stops us from moving forward. The reward eventually goes to those who are willing to look for the other way.
There is more reason for you to get out than to stay trapped inside the car. If you think about it, you are not done until you are dead. And so long as you can still breathe, miracles can still happen.
You may have lost your business, your income, your comfort and your luxury ( Who knows what else you have lost to this crisis?), but how much do these matter against the ones you still have in your hands?
You still have the knowledge you have acquired over the years. You still have the skills set you have built. You still have your set of friends, peers and mentors. You still have your family. You still have the same mind that brought you to where you were prior to lockdown. You still have the mission in you. You still have the technology you get to use. Hopefully, you still have the same company where you have worked for. You still have our education system intact because our educational institutions are all trying to weather the storm.
In the last three months, you may have forgotten how much treasure you have retained. If you keep counting the things that you have lost, you may have missed a lot of things in your hands now that can help you move forward. I understand how difficult it is to be in the dark. But I also understand that we need to get out of it as soon as we can because, frankly, there is a way to get into the light. For sure, it is going to be difficult. But I can assure you it will be worth it.
No one was ever prepared for anything. And if that is true, no one can also complain about what just happened. Whoever counts the gain more than the losses will be the frontrunner. And if you do not realize it yet, you have gained more than you have lost.
LloydLuna, RSP, CWS, is the first registered speaking professional and certified webinar speaker in the Philippines. He is a motivational speaker on leadership and best-selling author of Stepback: The Lost Art of Filipino Leadership. He is the chief executive officer of Stepback, a leadership and culture development company that helps leaders and organizations see the bigger picture in life and at work. Visit his w eb sitewww. step back. ph or email him at lloyd@ stepback.ph.