source I just read an article talking about human potentials. It's true that we have evolved and improved our lives drastically over the course of our existence. What does this mean for the human race? It means that we are able to achieve things never imagined before. This in turn creates more opportunities for people who would have,handicapped, in time past, by some factors, one of which is freedom. People have the ability to pursue their dreams freely and hope to achieve great things. However, this doesn't translate into success. The fact that one can achieve greatness doesn't mean that one will.
Life itself is a risk. There are no certainties, all we do is speculated based on the information available to us. Yes, there are basic principles that apply but they are dependent on the fact that certain things remain constant. We've seen cases where natural laws are broken, how things that where seemingly impossible become feasible. This all goes to prove my point that nothing is certain, including success.
There is this mainstream ideology that whatever is thinkable per se is achievable. One only needs to work hard they say, but this, to me is a slap on the faces of people who work their arses out trying to earn a living. Sometimes we are so stuck in our bubbles the we cannot seem to understand the harsh realities of other people, and this is not our fault. We are all restricted to our knowledge. A middle-class family living in the suburbs, somewhere in America, earning over $2000 monthly might not understand that somewhere in Nigeria a family earns as low as $50 per month working over time, without insurance, quality health care or shelter.
"Well, why not work smart?"
It's really stressful explaining the harsh realities of life to very optimistic people who are bent on not seeing any thing other than their positive prospect(s). But let's take steemit's ecosystem for example, I'm sure there are a thousands of persons making quality posts--smart work, but have little or nothing yet to show for it. Their articles don't get featured in the trending or hot stories. Even those who bought steem because of its prospects and are now panicky because of the the drop in price, weren't they making a smart decison? (Well this is relative) . It was (still is) a smart move to buy then, but recent events have shown that things can actually go south. Those who are still here are banking on the assumption (not fact) that steem will raise again and I will be glad if it did, but I understand that there is still a chance that it might not--when I want or hope it would. I've noticed that people are only planing to succeed but never consider the fact that they might fail.
"Oh that's just negative thinking."
It is not. When one thinks negatively they do not consider the fact that what they deem impossible might be possible and within their reach. The same with positive thinking but a reversed version of it. I'm more pragmatic in my approach. I do not believe things will always be rosy, that all my dreams will come through as and when I will. I make room for other possibilities and device ways to handle them effectively, to the best of my ability. And I treat success the same way. I know I can be successful, but there is a chance I might not be successfully, so I ask myself: what constitute those chances and how can I mitigate them? In a case, where I cannot change the situation then I must just leave with it. And yes, there are situations out of people's control. For example, if the United State decides to change its foreign policies and this in turn affects their economy people will suffer. This is not a result of what these said people did or have done, but because certain decisions were made by a higher power that trumps theirs (pun intended) .
I just want more honest conversations when it comes to tackling the issue of success. It's time we get rid of this rhetoric that people can change the quality of their lives by just willing it. I can't pay my bills by just willing it, I have to work, writing and also prepare for the possibility that I might not be able to, not because I'm lazy or not trying my best, but because it's just one of those things that happen in life and I have to get past that and move on with my life.
In conclusion, life can be a gamble or series of calculated risks, whatever the case may be, it doesn't totally eliminate the possibility of failure. You can be successfully, you might not be successfully. Know the difference.