“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” Setbacks can also be lousy teachers, largely because they tend to cloud our minds with negativity, a sense of doom, and this nagging sensation that the current state of affairs will last an eternity.
“Head vs Heart:”
A crowded mind
Leaves no space
For a peaceful heart.
When things are working well, we tend to see life with a sense of adventure and possibility. When they are not, we crowd our minds with all kinds of junk. We create new problems to distract ourselves with what’s in front of us.
Having spoken to and helped thousands of people who have dealt with/are dealing with professional setbacks, we have learned that their challenges escalate in three ways:
The crowded mind problem: This prevents people from seeing the truth. If your mind is processing all kinds of junk information, it is challenging to keep your eye on what matters.
The negativity spiral: This prevents action. Without action, they are left to endure their unpleasant reality. The more they dwell, the more the temporary situation becomes prolonged or permanent.
Reduced luck surface area: Luck surface area is a product of doing interesting things and telling lots of people. When people are dealing with setbacks, their luck surface area shrinks every day, unless they deliberately work towards it.
All these factors combined change the story we tell ourselves, and also change the story we tell others.
Matthew 25:29, which appears in the Parable of the Talents, says, “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” — Matthew 25:29 (ESV)