If You Think This Way You’ll Fail

Parenting is the hardest job on the planet. If you have children I suspect you agree with me. (Please let me know what you think is more difficult if you take issue with my conclusion. I really want to hear from you if you disagree).

Not to say that parenting is thankless. My daughter warms my heart, especially when I’m sick and she does things to help me feel better. But from the moment of her birth, there hasn’t been a minute free from responsibility to her. And, mistakes are inevitable.

I might have intuitively understood the burden of parenting when I was a child. I don’t remember. In any event, into my young adulthood I blamed my parents for deficiencies that hampered my success. After I started my company, a curious thing happened. I had to generate business to pay the rent and buy food. Holding my parents responsible for my failure did nothing to improve my cash flow.

Whatever tools and handicaps my parents gave me, I had to take responsibility for my future. The same is true for you. As an adult, success and failure are in your hands now.

Once I let go of my anger and disgruntlement over my upbringing, the path to change opened up. I sought out the books, speakers, and training I needed to reshape my outlook and get the skills I needed. Success followed.

I was reminded of a related issue while listening to the soundtrack from A Chorus Line. In the song, Hello 12, Hello 13 (please note some of the lyrics in this song are coarse) one of the characters sings about completing college and thinking his life will just begin. Then he imagines his life as a kindergarten teacher and realizes:

[Tweet "“Ain’t Nobody Gonna Be Standin’ There with No Scholarship to Life”"]

In his case, he overcame his fear, discovered his passion, and pursued a life as a dancer.

When I finished a degree in architecture life was supposed to just begin. But in the early 1980s, building activity was nearly at a stand still. Licensed architects with more than a decade of experience were doing draftsmen’s work. I realized life doesn’t automatically begin upon the completion of college.

Notice a common theme? Let me restate the two issues:

1. Correcting the challenges left to you by your parents


2. Taking the next step after you complete a significant life event

If you’re not getting where you want to go in life, I recommend you examine these two issues. No matter your age, to the extent they negatively impact your beliefs and performance they’re holding you back.

You’ll be scared. That’s how you’ll know you're making progress.

What belief do you have that’s holding you back? Please comment below.