Today I want to write about pity and specifically self pity. We all have experienced what Hamlet described as “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” Whether it be an accident or some unfortunate set of circumstances most of us can say we have suffered in some way. Some worse that others but we rarely get out the world unscathed by misfortune.
It is at that moment most of us might say “why me?” Why did this happen to me?”. To which I say why not me, why would it not happen to me. Most reading this post are part of the most fortunate people on the planet. Do you think you could go through life without a scratch.
I have often heard people say, “I am due some luck soon”, but never heard anyone announce gosh I am lucky the last few years it is about time something bad happened to me or my family. I am not talking about self created tragedy, if you drive crazy in your car on your phone you may well have an accident, or you smoke 40 a day then don’t curse the lung cancer. No I am talking about misfortune that hits us all but we often make it personal.
I remember my CEO Peter Gassner once answering a question which was what pieces of luck or good fortune can he recall which contributed to who he was. He listed numerous things that others would have ignored. He listed staying healthy in his childhood, his parents were in a strong marriage and cared for him and his siblings, he listed seeing and feeling his family’s work ethic which inspired him.
That is interesting isn’t it? not many would list the items like that. If any of those things were not true it would been much harder to start in life. So today when you are working if something bad or misfortunate happens rather than meet it with a why me, meet it with a why not me and be stronger.
I will finish with a lighthearted refrain I head from someone who was jovial about his misfortune. A guy was saying to me that he had “heard that God doesn’t give you a problem you are not strong enough to manage”. To which the guy added, “Nathan, I just wish that God had a little less belief in me!”
Hearty handshakes from me to you
Sea's The Day 