We are focused. We can visualize our goals. We can taste them, feel them, get our emotion into them. We can imagine ourselves walking, talking and breathing in our new dream and it’s rocking — but it’s raining outside and right now my reality is just not matching up to that dream. In fact, right now I’m genuinely feeling down and like this whole goal setting, visualization and personal growth thing is actually a waste of time.
The reality is you just can’t control the rain.
What the hang am I talking about? I’m going to try and use a metaphor to make things easier.
Consider farming.
Farmers are some of the toughest, hardest working people you are ever likely to meet. They sometimes bear the brunt of our city slicker humor, but in actuality they are generally the ones who have pioneered and built our countries over the years. As an unrepentant city dweller I am totally convinced that I would not have made it in their world.
But herein lies the rub. These folk plan, plough, plant, turn the soil, get rid of weeds and do a whole lot more, but they can't make it rain. This is the most fundamental and most critical part of their journey — and they have no control over it. So a whole potential crop could be lost due to a lack of rain. And then what do these farmers do next season? Plan, plough, plant, turn the soil and get rid of weeds, all over again, in hope of the one thing they cannot control: the rain. The only thing a farmer can control is their planning, ploughing, planting, turning the soil and getting rid of weeds.
As someone trying to grow, improve themselves, make more sales and get ahead in life, maybe there's a lesson here: Do what you can control. Read the books, make the plans, see the visions and dreams the dreams, but just know upfront that not everything is going to work out today the way you desire.
There are so many things we can’t control, but let’s focus on what we do have control over — research, planning, prospecting, meeting our deadlines, getting referrals, doing a brilliant day’s work — every day.
The people who succeed are the ones who keep the dreams, visions and plans alive despite the circumstances, long after Joe Average has given up and moved on. Successful people aren’t lucky, they’re just prepared to keep going when everyone else isn’t.
Just some thoughts.
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About the Author
OneAccord Principal Brad Thomson emigrated to the United States from South Africa in 2019. He is a sales leader and a pastor with a passion for seeing people live up to their fullest potential.
As a salesman with experience in investment products, furniture, IT, life insurance and short-term insurance, Brad has sold goods ranging from the unseen (insurance) to the misunderstood (IT). Brad's passion to see people develop their potential led him to study human resources, then open and run his own recruitment consultancy. As a cosultant, he helped people and businesses thrive by finding the right fit for their unique situation. Click here to learn more about Brad.
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