Get Off The Ground
The obstacles and failures in our lives either stops us or forces us to get creative and move on.
It is either you allow your failure to stop you or give you an opportunity to get creative.
So, what do you decide? What choice are you making? Would you rather stay knocked down or get off the ground?
Is there a reason to believe in the possibilities of getting started again and getting it right this time?
If you try again for the last time, would you get it right this time around?
Writing on the first page of any new note or journal is usually a big deal for me, I would have had a series of imaginations of how I wanted my handwriting to sit beautifully on the note for me to read. (I like to read my handwriting). Sometimes, the fear of seeing and reading ugly handwriting on the pages of a note worries me and I would end up keeping the note for a long time without writing on any of the pages especially if it is a unique journal or note.
I mean, I remember some of the journals I kept and how I will keep the journal for years until I eventually launch it regardless. By the time I eventually pick up this note, I would have forgotten the reasons I kept it and any handwriting would pass.
I know you are probably like that too.
So, our past experience keeps us away from doing what we want to do.
If you ask me if I would ever “trade” anything again in my life after I was scammed of 1.5Million Nigerian Naira to some internet hoodlums.
I will answer a bold NO.
Months after I accepted my failure, realizing that I was scammed, I wouldn’t speak to anyone and I would smile strong with a large wound in my heart. Deep down, I had no reason to live.
I never wanted anyone to help me, I didn’t know what I was planning to achieve
None of my investors would ever believe this experience because I was not even communicating with them. They have every reason to doubt me. I would be unreachable for days as I was bearing the pain of this loss alone.The image of me being arrested by at least the largest investor trails me every second.
My ‘Wake up & Pray’ alarm made me anxious and I became very fearful. I stopped the alarm and I stopped praying, till today, Todd Dunaley’s This is The Anthem reminds me of this sad experience because it was my phone’s ringing tone at that point in time.
My Faith fizzled,
Trust broken,
Integrity shaken,
Respect rugged,
Honour in the mud,
Hope became hopeless,
believe, not in myself.
I would send texts at odd hours to my investors assuring them that I am going to refund them regardless, I would turn off my phone as soon as my texts get delivered to them.
For like 5 months, I didn’t achieve a single thing, I was living in the past.
I needed to decide to either get ahead or to remain in the past. I started looking at how to pay up this debt because it was damn heavy. I wanted to start again and see how far I can go. I started clearing off with my monthly allowance as a youth corps member and the allowance I got when I served as a Presiding officer for the 2019 INEC General Elections. I started sending screenshots of part refund payments to other investors so that they can keep calm.
You need to let go of that old experience and stop living in the past, you need to “move on” first from your mind and then with action. If you keep looking and holding on to the past, you will not be able to focus on what the future holds. You need to take full responsibility for your life.
When I started moving on, I started seeing different opportunities as scams, I would overthink things and most times never took any opportunity that has to do with investment and all.
I was still afraid.
I had PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder)
PTSD is a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress occurring as a result of injury or severe psychological shock, typically involving disturbance of sleep and constant vivid recall of the experience, with dulled responses to others and to the outside world.
The image of the scam would never leave me.
What’s stopping you exactly?
Do you have a feeling that something will go wrong again?
It’s a feeling, and it may not be true. The only way to discover if this could be true is if you get off and start now at least, it can help you in overcoming your fears and becoming a stronger person.
So what are you really afraid of?
Starting again?
What if you fail again?
How will people even accept you again?
What will people say?
What if you are rejected?
Dig deep and figure out what is behind the fear you have. Once you have a clear idea of what is holding you back from starting again, getting off the ground is a little easier from here.
For instance, if it is rejection, then you know that you are working on your confidence. If it’s a failure, you need to remind yourself that it’s part of the process and that you are not the only one. You will be learning along the way and mistakes mean you’re trying. That’s a good thing.
Being afraid of getting started again is basically the fear of the future. You might need to put it somewhere in your head that you are not totally in charge of the future, remember that the future is out of your control. You can only take a risk by starting again and hoping that it will be. You may fail again, and you might nail it on the next try! You would never know until you begin again.
My point is, we need to stop comparing the present to the past because we can’t go back and change the past. We may not also be able to control what will happen in the future. So the best thing we can do is live in the moment. What does this mean to you?
It means you should begin today. You just have to get started. Opportunities visit people who show up. Do not allow the obstacles to prevent you, rather focus on the opportunities and possibilities
Be more positive and optimistic.
Be full of faith and be hopeful.
Do all you are doing to the best of your ability.
Get off the ground.
