We all need people around us who are genuinely interested in our growth and progress. They give you props when you’re on the right track, let you know when you’re slacking and freely share the resources they have in their toolbox. At the end of the day, the relationship is mutually beneficial as you support and push each other to overcome obstacles and do bigger things.
One of my good friends since college serves as one of those people in my life. He has seen the whole journey since then – the good, the bad and the ugly. A month or two ago, he passed along a quote he thought I would like. He was right – it resonated with me as I read it. Although I appreciated it, I didn’t do anything else with it at the time. It remained where it was as a long text.
I try to pay attention when the universe seems to be telling me something. A couple weeks ago, I met someone who had a favorite quote listed on Facebook that looked familiar.
I liked the quote a lot and tried to remember where I saw it before. This led me to dig up the quote my friend had shared with me. I realized what I saw on Facebook was an excerpt of the full quote.
I’m never certain about the universe’s messages but this one aligned with my recent thoughts. At the beginning of the year, the speaker at an event I attended talked about being in the stands vs. being on the court and in the game of life. Whatever you want to pursue, you get a different experience if you approach it by being in the crowd as a bystander versus rolling up your sleeves and running plays on the court. Being in the stands is safer – you don’t have to worry about failing, losing or falling on your face in front of others. Being on the court is more risky – there’s a chance you will be defeated and you’ll have to decide if you want to continue or not. Despite the downside, there is also the possibility that you’ll win and achieve your pursuits.
The possibility of that favorable outcome makes it all worth it. No risk, no reward right? I prefer to be on the court – in any of my pursuits and in life. Even if I fail, there will be lessons that I can apply forward so that next time, I fail better and faster. I’ll put all the lessons in play until I win the game.
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What about you? How are you going through life and approaching your pursuits? Are you in the stands? Or are you getting on the court?
Dasanj Aberdeen is an entrepreneurial spirit who embodies the combination of left-brain logic and right-brain creativity. She is a consultant and proponent of multidisciplinary education, approaches and pursuits. She writes about their benefits in modern times and integrating multiple interests into a sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle. She’s a graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University with a concentration in Technology & Innovation Management, jointly delivered by the Fox School of Business and College of Engineering.
