You Will Never Be Ready
One of the biggest mistakes we can make in life is thinking that there will be a perfect moment to do something.
Whether it’s starting a new business or moving to another country. There certainly can be ideal moments, where timing is crucial to take advantage of something. But even in those moments, the conditions are never perfect.
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What is more important is that the chance has arisen for you to pounce on an opportunity, that moment is sometimes only a split second and those that hesitate lose out on a golden opportunity to transform their lives.
There is a wonderful passage from Shakespeare in Julius Caesar - Act 4 Scene 3,
There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
The tide which Shakespeare is talking about are the opportunities which present themself to us in life, The visual imagery Shakespeare has used is when there is a low and high tide. The high tide represents that moment to pounce on an opportunity.
One has to recognise that there are also moments when the timing isn’t right (low tide) that is when one has to bide their time and patiently wait for the high tide.
When that opportunity is taken, “Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;” The fortune which Shakespeare is talking about is the authentic life. Someone who has found a career, their calling or a life altering experience. The journey which is filled with ups and downs transforms the individual psychologically.
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The important thing to recognise is that these moments often come in the form of something we fear or will take us out of our comfort zone. If you were ready then it wouldn’t be growth.
The fear, the doubt, the worry is what makes you eligible for the journey. Every person by the virtue of being alive is a hero, however we have to overcome difficult obstacles in life which evoke those characteristics that bring out our heroic acts.
“Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries.” In this passage Shakespeare is sending an important message to those people who turn down the call to adventure. Those people will face a life of misery ahead. As Shakespeare notes, Regret will be their greatest demon casting a shadow on everything they do. The denial of the call to adventure comes in many forms.
The Hero’s journey is a popular Mythological motif, if you’ve watched The Lion King or Star Wars these are examples of individuals who faced a crisis and were forced to take the hero’s journey. Their refusal of the call would result in a spiritual crises, an inner tension throughout life because they missed the vital opportunity for growth.
In Simba’s case he needed to abandon his life of comfort and leisure to face up to his Uncle Scar who murdered his father Mufasa, and take his rightful place as King.
In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker has to overcome countless obstacles and defeat Darth Vader in finding his true place as a hero.
These obstacles can be represented symbolically through various things in life, the only task of the hero is to slay these Dragons in life. Whether it’s overcoming depression, abuse as a child or poverty; The heroic act is the transformation of the human being from a dependant creature to a self reliant individual able to find his own way through the maze of life.
“On such a full sea are we now afloat” Those brave souls who choose to take on the challenges in life, to stare danger in they eye and walk through the fires of struggle are rewarded for their trials.
Shakespeare expresses this poetically by stating how they enjoy the vitality of life as they float on the Ocean of life. Through conquering their fears they obtain eternal bliss impenetrable to the storms of life.
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Those who chose to turn down the Heroes journey, will wallow in regret on the life they could have had only if they decided to overcome their deep fear of the unknown.
Whether it was an opportunity to take a job promotion that was offered to them, a trip to a far destination or overcoming a crises which requires strength and perseverance.
Life is filled with countless opportunities to pursue the heroic journey, all we have to do is gather the courage and not be afraid. Because all the heroes before you walked a similar path. The only difference between you and them is that they chose to ignore the feelings of doubt and fear.
