When The Wheels Fall Off

“We don’t stop driving to Cape Town just because we get a puncture in one tyre!”, says my infinitely wise friend Zane, “We don’t take the other three tyres off the car and say, ‘Oh, Well Fuck it!’ “. He has a point.

So why then, when we commit to something, do we give up on the first or second sign of trouble? Impatience? Laziness? Relief? I honestly can’t tell you, but I can tell you that I have a habit of doing this all the time.

That said, I would add that it’s foolish to keep driving down a bumpy road when you’ve had numerous punctures and have run out of spares. Being a Martyr doesn’t impress anyone when your goal is patently unattainable or horribly dangerous. If, staying committed to your path, is an “accident waiting to happen” – then stop the car or get onto another road!!

Commitment requires focus and determination and getting up after a set back. But it also requires setting reasonable and achievable goals.

As in all things there’s balance to be found.

So, when we hit a bump in the road, I guess the questions that we need to ask ourselves are:
Is this just a minor puncture that can quickly be repaired?
Am I on a dangerous road?
Or worse, am I heading towards the wrong destination?

Usually we know the answer.