I was eating at a cafeteria yesterday when I overheard a man say “stop complaining and start working at another way of achieving results.” I could have sworn he was talking to me until I turned around and saw he was on the phone. Recently, I’ve been having some internal struggles. I have been overwhelmed by the size of personal projects I want to achieve before the year runs out. These projects give me sleepless nights and restless days. Like yesterday for example, I kept going back and forth at very minute tasks at the office all because I had a troubled mind.

Every time I opened a file at the office to work, I would instead see a certain Project X1 which at the beginning of the year, I had thought I would achieve before May, but haven’t been able to because I have not really had the time. When I opened another file, I would see Project X2 which I was hoping to achieve by June but haven’t because I haven’t got enough money for the project. And when I opened yet another file, I saw… Whew! Everything seemed to be swirling around me. Stuffs were stuck on replay in my mind. I had too much to achieve but haven’t been able to because of these two reasons: time and finance!

And both reasons sounded valid until I heard that phone conversation at the cafeteria. Then it dawned on me that perhaps I have been myopic in thoughts; I haven’t been thinking outside the box!

Somehow, that phone conversation helped me deconstruct some things.

First, I have never always had the time to follow up on one project or another. But the phrase during the phone call “stop complaining and start working at another way of achieving result” somehow reminded me of the saying “you will always have time for things that are important to you.” I guess I hadn’t really thought of things this way until now. If my projects have really been that important to me, I would have made time under the sun for them.

Another complaint I have always harboured was that I did not have sufficient money to start up a project. My main source of income is from my writing 8am-6pm job. But my savings so far would not be able to take care of my projects.  But the phone conversation brought to my attention that I haven’t been using my head properly, else I would have thought up other means of sourcing funds!

I learnt so much from a singular phone call that was not even made to me! Right now, I feel rejuvenated and motivated to do something!

I know somebody reading this may be in same or similar situation. Your reasons for not achieving one goal or another may be different from mine. But one common trait in our complaints is that whatever our supposed challenges, we have not been able to live a particular dream! And these reasons always sound too valid and insurmountable until we really think hard about them, then we’ll discover that they are mere excuses and not obstacles! There is always a way if we keep an open mind and a motivated head. So I will say same thing to you right now: “stop complaining and start working at another way of achieving result!” And whatever you have to do, start working on it already because “yesterday, you said you were going to do it tomorrow. Today is here; so just do it!”

Goodluck!