Challenge is something we all face. Things don’t always go according to plan. We do our best to prepare and make the right maneuvers, but sometimes things just don’t go our way. Many times it is in our power to prevent the challenges that we face, but we don’t always have the foresight. At the same time, many of our difficulties are the result of things we don’t necessarily have control over. Sometimes, all you can control is the way you respond to a set of circumstances.
My Challenge
This week, I was performing some maintenance on some old flash drives. I was erasing and re-formatting them so that they could be used for different purposes. The task of formatting flash drives isn’t that crazy of a job. In order to do this job I was using a software that allowed me to analyze, configure, and format ALL of the storage devices connected to my computer. So while I wasn’t doing anything critical to the flash drives, I was using software that could do some pretty critical things if not utilized carefully.
Somewhere along the way in this process, I found myself on a phone call with someone. It’s unclear to me whether I called this person or if this person called me, but talking on the phone is definitely not something I should’ve been doing while using the disk utility on my computer. I should not have been using this software if I was not 100% focused on the task at hand. That was my mistake and I’ll hold myself accountable.
Instead of either getting off of the call or placing my work on hold, I tried to multi-task. Despite my good intentions of efficiency and productivity, I made a terrible mistake. I accidentally deleted some very important technical files off of the computer. Fortunately, I didn’t erase any important documents, photos, or projects. Basically, I deleted a collection of files with instructions to tell the PC how to boot up.
Fixing the Problem
This blunder rendered the computer useless. This was a bad thing to happen in the middle of the week, as it meant that I would not be able to get much work done until the matter was resolved. My first instinct could’ve been to panic and sound the alarm like I have done so many times in the past, but not this time.
This time I stayed detached and did not let it bother me. I didn’t worry about the work I had to do. I didn’t focus on how much time I would have to spend fixing the problem. I simply focused on nothing but that present moment and I started developing a solution. I did some research and used my own knowledge to write out a set of steps to resolve the problem and I got to work.
It took me the better part of the work day to get the matter resolved, but the fix was seamless. I took my time, came up with a plan, and didn’t try to rush it. I didn’t focus on anything else or stress about the time I’d have to make up. I simply let go and set my attention on nothing but the present. I became fixated on only this specific challenge.
A Lesson on Challenge: Let Go
This experience helped me to understand that facing a challenge can only be as stressful as one makes it. I didn’t beat myself up over my mistake. I didn’t get upset about the work I was missing. I did nothing more than focus on what was in front of me. I learned that sometimes, it’s better to do just that.
The simple fact is this: challenges will come. They way you handle them is within your power.
The next time that you encounter a challenge or inconvenience, consider detaching. Consider letting go of all of the worry and stress and frustration. Bring yourself into the present moment and work on what is right in front of you.
Facing serious obstacles and unexpected disruptions can be stressful and take years off of your life. Remaining grounded in the face of these obstacles and carrying on through the challenge they bring will enable you to enjoy better health, wellness, and mindfulness.
These are all lessons aligned with the Stoic philosophy. Read more on Stoicism here.
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