How to Beat the Odds in Your Life

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May 22, 2010

Inspiring Legends

My dad took me aside at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya on a fine September afternoon. He shared with me words of wisdom that have stayed with me ever since. My parents were nervous of cutting loose their green son, straight out of high school. They wanted to impart me with as much last minute wisdom as humanly possible.

They had heard of chilling statistics about young, unprepared Kenyan international students. They wanted to help me beat the odds; but there was only so much they could do. I boarded the 9000km flight feeling free like a bird. I was finally free to do as I pleased.

I was soon to learn that with great freedom comes responsibility. Life is not a straight line. It is more like a winded road with bumps, traffic jams, pot holes and unpredictable motorists. There is such a thing as odds against you.

The Odds against You

If success was easy, then everyone would be successful. There will be obstacles on your success journey. The playing field will at times be tilted against you. There will be people out to pull you down. There will be times when you are just not good enough. You will be out of your depth on some occasions. And to make matters worse, there will always be people better than you. Depressing?

If you actually sat down and wrote down the reasons why you would fail in life, you would still be writing until the end of time. There are so many variables that can jettison your prospects of achievement.

Many people dwell on the reasons why they will fail instead of looking at the reasons why they will succeed. They feel the pain of failure before it happens. Failure becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Yes there will be odds against you. But your time and mental energy will have a greater return on investment if you stay positive.

Meet Jessica Watson

Today’s Inspiring Legend is 17 years old Jessica Watson.

Jessica Watson, from Queensland, Australia is the youngest person to sail around the world, non-stop and unassisted. She is Australia’s newest hero.

Millions of TV viewers, led by Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, welcomed her after 7 months at sea. Her story is an inspiration to those of us with odds to beat.

The Los Angeles Times reported her reason for the journey: “I wanted to challenge myself and achieve something to be proud of. And yes, I wanted to inspire people. I hated being judged by my appearance and other people’s expectations of what a ‘little girl’ was capable of. It’s no longer just my dream or voyage. Every milestone out here isn’t just my achievement, but an achievement for everyone who has put so much time and effort into helping getting me here“. She has inspired me and others alright.

Lessons from Jessica Watson

  • It is all in the mind – Success or failure is all in the mind. Victory is first achieved in the mental realm. Very few things are impossible. Sailing around the world for a young girl is not impossible as demonstrated by Jessica Watson. Starting and succeeding in your own business is not impossible. Most of the obstacles ahead of you can diminish with a winning attitude. Do not let the odds put you down.
  • Preparation is the key. – She had over 10,000 nautical miles of ocean sailing experience before departing on her round the world trip. Jessica and her team worked tirelessly to give her the best chance of succeeding. They prepared the technology and every aspect of the voyage to improve her odds.
  • Get Inspiration – She sought out help from experts and sailors who had done it before her. Find people who have succeeded in what you are attempting to do and learn from them. Find a mentor to guide you on the road ahead. Reach out to people who inspire you. Read up on how others did it.
  • Amass Supporters – Sailing around the world does not come cheap. She had an array of sponsors chipping in. Standing on the shoulders of giants makes life easier. How far ahead can you get if you had a team of supporters for your vision? Tilt the playing field to your advantage by finding people to believe in you and support you against the odds.
  • Handle Critics – Jessica Watson had her fair share of critics. There are those that believed that she did not quite cover the distance required for hers to be regarded as a world record. She responded “If I haven’t been sailing around the world, then it beats me what I’ve been doing out here all this time! Yes it’s a shame that my voyage won’t be recognized by a few organizations because I’m under 18, but it really doesn’t worry me.” There were people out to steal her moment of glory. There will be people out to pull you down. You will have your critics too. Listen to them but do not let them dampen your spirit or prevent you from beating the odds and succeeding.
  • Celebrate Victory – Her return to Sydney, Australia turned out to be one big party. She celebrated her victory with the nation and with her family. Allow for celebrations when you succeed. Reward yourself for making progress. Celebration has a way of making you want to beat more odds.

Learn More about Jessica Watson

Like we have done with the other inspiring legends, please take a moment to learn more about our young legend Jess.

Summary

The road to your success may not be paved with gold. But you owe it to yourself to tilt the playing field to your advantage. Some of your odds might be imagined while others may be real. Eradicate the imagined odds first. Fight the mental battles relentlessly and take action after preparation. Look for inspiration and seek support to improve your prospects of victory. Yes you can beat the odds!

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Personal Development, Success Mastery
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