OLAGUNJU LAWRENCE

Are You Resting on the Ladder of Your Life or Climbing to the Next Step?

"The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man's foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher." Thomas Henry Huxley
Life doesn't always turn out the way you expect.
After my brother Scott, graduated from college with an accounting degree, he launched an eyeglass store with a partner. They employed a full-time ophthalmologist and business was booming. After a few years, Scott became intrigued with the idea of becoming an eye doctor, so he went back to college to pursue a medical degree.

He applied to several ophthalmology programs, but was not accepted at any of them. He didn't give up. He studied hard, retook the exam and tried again. No dice. Finally it dawned on him that he may be pursuing the wrong path, so he explored other areas of medicine.
Shadowing a friend who was a podiatrist, Scott discovered that he loved the field of podiatry. He pursued it, effortlessly got into a program, graduated, and after years of hard work is now a partner in a successful practice. He proceeded to develop two surgical implants that were approved by the FDA. Both his implant company and his practice are growing like wildfire.

My brother could have gotten comfortable with his original plan and led a pretty good life. The eyeglass store was doing well - why should he do anything else? He couldn't get into ophthalmology school - he could have chosen to use his accounting degree instead. Each time he "failed," he made the decision to climb the next rung on the ladder, challenging himself every step of the way. This has made all the difference.
In today's economic environment, many people are holding onto their rung for dear life. Even though they don't have the career they dreamed about - they may not even LIKE their current job - but fear and inaction keep them stuck. Over time, one of three events is likely to occur:

• One - they remain paralyzed, clinging to their rung until the end of their career. They then pay the price of regret for never reaching their full potential.
• Two - the rung breaks, sending them crashing down with no choice but to choose a similar path or try something different. Some will take the opportunity; others will opt for more of the same.
• Three - the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the fear of change. The choice is made, and one hand reaches for the next rung on the ladder, and the next, until they have reached the pinnacle of their personal and professional pursuits.

Are you hanging out on the ladder of comfort? What can you do today to move yourself to the next rung? Our journey on the ladder of life will never be finished. It's the climbing that is the fun part. Enjoy the ride.