Four Major Lessons In Life (Part 1- Winter)

I've listened to this part of an audiobook by Jim Rohn a few times, and I'm still digesting the parts where he taught about the seasons in life. I recently got one of his classic books "The Seasons of Life" for RM10 from a book sale. I've bought books that cost far more which were rubbish, but this little gem cost me only RM10! I finished the whole book during my quiet trip at Cameron Highlands. And last night I was listening to the audio book part on the seasons, one more time. This time, I'm writing it down here for my record.

"The four major lessons. It is so important to study the majors. Have you ever notice that some people don't do well, because they major in minor things. Whatever you do, check at the end of the week, the end of the year, and make sure you're not spending major time on minor things. Otherwise, you'll wind up with a below average life.

Now, before I get into the four major lessons, here are two phrases to consider. First, life and business are like the changing seasons. That's one of the best ways to illustrate life. It's like the seasons, the change. Frank Sinatra sang "life is like the seasons". Here is the second phrase: you cannot change the seasons, but you can change yourself.

Now, with those two key phrases in mind, here are the four major lessons in life to learn.

The first is, learn how to handle the winters. They come right after fall with regularity. Some are long, some are short. Some are difficult, some are easy. But they always come right after fall. Remember, it isn't going to change. Now, there are all kinds of winters, right? The winter when you can't figure it out. The winter when it all go smashed. We call it 'the winters of your life'. One writer call it 'the winter of discontent'. The winter when it turns upside down, when it all goes wrong. There are economic winters, social winters, personal winters. When your heart is smashed into a thousand pieces. Winter time, disappointments. Disappointment is common to us all. So learn how to handle the winters. You must learn how to handle the nights, they come right after days. You must learn how to handle difficulties, they always come right after opportunities. You must handle recessions, they come right after expansions. It isn't going to change.

So the big question is: what do you do about the winters? Well, you can't get rid of January simply by tearing it off the calendar. But here is what you can do: you can get stronger, wiser and better. Make note of the trio of words: stronger, wiser, better. See, the winter won't change, but you can.

Before I understood this, when it was winter, I used to wish it was summer. I didn't understand. When it was difficult, I used to wish it was easy. I didn't know. Then Mr Shoaff (mentor) gave me the answer from a part of his very unique philosophy, when he said, "Don't wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don't wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom."

To be continued with Part 2: Spring....