Paulo Coelho on the Secret of Life: Fall Seven Times; Get Up Eight Times

'The worst thing that happens to you 

may be the best thing for you 

if you don't let it get the best of you.' 

Will Rogers

Are Defeats Necessary?

'I ask myself: are defeats necessary? Well, necessary or not, they happen. When we first begin fighting for our dream, we have no experience and make many mistakes.'   

'The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.'

Paulo Coelho

Obstacles are Blessings--Make it so 

'Perhaps I should go back to school', she pondered. 'It's not that I don't like the work, it's that I have difficulty making a living on what I'm paid in this entry level job--and the woman I'm working with obstructs any attempts I make to get training. It's like she wants to keep me in the dark so I don't move on.'

Who hasn't dealt with obstructionists in their work or life--those people intent on pushing you down for fear they will be shown up?

I regularly hear stories like this from hard-working people struggling to make a living and get ahead in life.

Perhaps you can relate: Just as you take that step forward at work or in life, obstacles are thrown in your path stopping you in your tracks.

But obstacles--and the strong emotions produced by them--can be blessings if we let them as they provide us with opportunities to examine what we want and how to change our approach to best achieve it.

Instead of letting obstacles and obstructionists knock you to the ground--use the strong emotions they evoke to motivate you get up and move forward in the right direction--learning to go around the people and things getting in the way.

Fall down seven times; get up eight times.

Use Your Anger and Frustration

Don't just sit in your anger and frustration at the situation, use the energy to identify what your personal values are and take positive action based on them. Think your way around the obstacles, knowing you have all the ingredients inside you to navigate the tough stuff and to handle life successfully.

Situational depression occurs when you feel hopeless or helpless in response to a situation that knocks you down and keeps you down. 

To avoid getting depressed in response to tough situations, get in the habit of immediately getting back up, brushing yourself off, and taking action that has the potential to produce positive outcomes. Do this even if you don't feel like doing it or you don't believe it will make a difference. 

And do it eight times if you're knocked down seven times.

Fall Seven Times; Get Up Eight Times 

Think of a situation or person that put up roadblocks to you in the last week.

• What happened?
• List what made you angry or frustrated in the situation.
• List things you value that may have been violated in the situation.
• When you're ready: Chose a positive response based on your personal values.
• Take positive action--even if you don't feel like it.

The Courage and Patience to Persist Eight Times

What if the young woman in the entry level job was in an industry that had great advancement opportunities with good pay down the road? Could she find the courage to persist in the job and change her thinking from 'I need to go back to school' to 'I need to find a way to get more on-the-job training despite the obstacles'?

What if instead of paying for more education she allowed herself to be paid for more on-the-job training, in an industry with the possibility to make a decent salary as she advances?

What if this was you? How would you do that if the obstructionist was standing in the way?

If like this young woman you like the work you do despite the obstacles and you see the long-range potential in the job, begin by identifying the experience, skills and knowledge you need to acquire to move ahead in the industry and learn to go around the obstacles and obstructionists.

....And get up eight times if you fall down seven.

💓 Contact the boss or HR department to ask how you can get the training you need to improve--and ask who in the organization you might work with to get that training. Don't be afraid to ask many times. 

Run into a roadblock seven times? Ask eight times.

💓 Be persistent. Show your drive and determination. Let them know you want to position yourself for opportunities to advance in salary and responsibility in the company. 

Show up seven times with no response? Show up the eighth time.

💓 Alternatively, if you know people in another industry you might work in, set up a meeting to chat about the work, pay and advancement opportunities. This is part of your free 'higher education' path. 

Already asked seven contacts? Ask the eighth. 

💓 Ask yourself: What is the single most important thing I can do to go around this false barrier to achieve my heart's desire? Do it.

Already asked yourself this seven times? Ask the eighth time and do it again.

💓 Obstacles are there for you to go around. 

Do it eight times eighty....and then do it again.

💓

'Patience and perseverance have a magical effect 

before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.'

John Quincy Adams

Sign Up for Free E-mail updates

For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.