Imagine you’re driving along a freeway on a long distance trip. You’re making good time and your car is running smoothly. Then the unexpected happens.
You had noticed moments before some pieces of a shredded truck tire in your lane so you quickly moved over one. This was smart decision.
But what you couldn’t expect was that the car in front of you would not move away from the debris In fact it hits a piece of tire in such a way that it launches itself toward your vehicle, bounces underneath your car, and breaks something.
Now you’re stuck on the side of freeway shoulder waiting for a tow truck, knowing that your car is seriously damaged, and your plans for the day are ruined.
In this scenario, what did you do wrong? Some people fall into the trap that anything negative that happens to you must be directly related to something that you did.
The truth, which race car drivers understand, is that you don’t always control your destiny.
In fact, to Clear the Path of problems, you need to accept that things are going to happen that you don’t expect. You may be doing everything right and have your plans ruined. There can be a randomness to life that makes it impossible to predict the future. That opens the door to way too many sleepless nights.
Instead, consider the situation (perhaps as you are waiting for a tow truck). Was there anything you could have done better? If there are no lessons to be learned, stop beating yourself up over the outcome.
Here’s the good news: Sometimes we’re blessed by good luck.
