06703 960 830

You have to do the right thing
and act with commitment.
Then you can be sure that you will make it!

 

From my perception, it is a common message here on LinkedIn. Only, it is so not in line with my life experience. I know too many people in this society who have tried hard and who I can’t see doing anything significantly wrong, and yet they have been denied lifelong success.

I remember how painful that is because I experienced it as a student. You have to do this or that, and above all, make an effort, and then it will work. What didn’t work was not a problem for the adults. The solution was: He doesn’t do what we tell him and doesn’t make an effort. I, however, knew that this was not true.

I find this culture of „anything goes“ questionable because it puts the responsibility for failure on those who failed. Sure you did something wrong! But, we probably all have experienced doing our best and still not achieving the goal.

Systemic thinking helps me accept that our influence on the course of our lives and the development of the world around us is limited. We only have a part of „things“ in our hands. Besides us, countless other forces are at play in the game of life. Therefore, my effort alone does not determine whether I reach the goal.

The assumptions of systems theory relativise even the high regard for tried and tested ways of doing things. My personal experience also shows that ways that, until now, always led to the goal may now well lead astray.

I live in a house that was built in the years after 1950, i.e. with material that could be „found“. This house has taught me to expect the unexpected. The „best practice“ of fixing a picture to a wall varies considerably in this house, even on the same wall.

So what is a helpful message to people who want to achieve something meaningful?

„Try the way that has so far almost always led to success. But if you realise it doesn’t work, you will surely find a better one!“

„A prerequisite for success is that you want it and put all your energy into it! Then, if it doesn’t work out, you know it wasn’t your fault!“

Not every good shot hits the goal! – Not shooting definitely means no goal!