Let us, then be up and doing
With a heart for any fate
Still achieving, still pursuing
Learn to labor and to wait
I came across this poem today and was struck by its beauty, simplicity and the sage advice it carried in four short lines. It was written well over 100 years ago by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Let me explain the poem line by line. It states that no matter where we are in life, we are to get up and get active every morning. We are to be ready for whatever challenges that life presents us with on that particular day. That is to say, we are to be ready to handle the successes as well as the failures and setbacks. It goes on to say that we must believe in ourselves and we must believe in our plan for life. Yes, we must have a plan. We must keep the goals that we want to achieve at the forefront of our mind. We must stay focused, patient and believe that we will reach our goals. Simply put, Wadsworth’s poem is saying that we must struggle and strive before we succeed.
Many of my clients are going through various life transitions i.e. change of career, relationship breakdown, mid-life crisis etc. To navigate these life transitions means to stay focused and structured. It also requires acknowledging and managing one’s emotions. For each one of these clients, it means that they have to hold on to the positive beliefs that they have about themselves as they list the necessary goals to activley pursue so that they can achieve the life and or career that they want. Yes, you do have to struggle so that you can emerge to your full potential.
The last line states “ Learn to labor and to wait”. It means : Work hard, be patient, trust your vision, pursue the steps that will lead to your goals and vision. Success will come eventually. Believe in your process.
To your success everyone.You can be even more successful with us. Contact us to know more about how.
Photo courtesy: Official GDC
