Enterprise

Procrastination and inaction are thieves of success

grow

Grow through your struggles and when you finally get there take a moment to enjoy your success. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Two men Sam, in his late teens, and Bill, in his late 40s, used to play golf together.

Bill was good at the game and was able to consistently beat his younger opponent.

One day Sam excitedly told Bill that he was going to participate in the professionals tour the next week. He knew that his chances of doing so were bleak, but it was his dream to be a professional golfer, so he thought that he should give it a try.

“I could have done that,” was Bill’s curt response.

“Then why didn’t you?” asked Sam. “I don’t know, I never got around to it,” responded Bill.

A couple of weeks later when both were playing again, Sam disappointedly told Bill that he missed the cut and had to wait for another year to try again.

However, he knew what he had to work on, he said.

So he practiced hard for the next 12 months and continued to improve, although Bill still beat him regularly.

The time drew near to the next pro tour. “I’m going to try again next week,” said Sam.

“I could have done that,” snorted Bill.

“Yeah, but you didn’t,” muttered Sam. A couple of weeks later they met again.

“I missed out again,” said Sam. “Why don’t you just give up?” asked Bill.

“Because it’s my dream and I think if I work really hard this year I can make the cut.”

“I could have done that,” said Bill. After a year of working on his flaws and perfecting his game, Sam improved and had another go at the pro league.

He met with Bill again. “I made it, I made the cut! I’m a professional golfer now!” he proudly announced. Bill tried to be happy for his friend but all he could say was, “I could have done that.” He tried to hide a tear forming in his eye, realising what he had missed out because he didn’t do what he was supposed to do.

And now it was too late. Sam left to follow his dream and they rarely met again.

Although they did play once more, with Bill beating him.

The worst feeling is regretting not having done something when you had the chance to.

You own everything that happens to you: It is better to regret over things you have done and failed than what you did not do.

When reflection does not interest you any more, you are doing something right; it’s worth all the effort you put in when you had the chance to do so.

The struggle is just part of the story and the journey. It always seems impossible until it’s done.

Always go after what you strongly feel about. Grow through your struggles and when you finally get there take a moment to enjoy your success.

It is never a waste of time if you have learnt something out of it. Success and failure are part of the game. Win or learn. Through learning you will find a new way of winning. When the day is over, let it go: One of the hardest lessons of life is to let go.

Whether its success or failure change is never easy.