The Owner's Manual to Life: Simple Strategies to Worry Less and Enjoy Life More by Michael Zajaczkowski

Author:Michael Zajaczkowski [Zajaczkowski, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-09-05T00:00:00+00:00

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“We are continually faced with great opportunities brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.”

—Margaret Mead

If we all gave up when faced with what seemed like unsolvable problems, we wouldn’t have made much progress as a species. On a broad scale, we wouldn’t have persevered and solved the problems of irrigating crops and so discovered agriculture. We would have given up on the numerous problems with containing the power of steam and turning it into the mighty force it became in driving the Industrial Revolution. Further examples include discovering germ theory and thus penicillin; solving the flight problem and eventually going from Kitty Hawk in North Carolina (site of the Wright Brothers’ first flight) to landing on the moon a mere sixty-six years later—a task fraught with seemingly unsolvable problems and deemed impossible by many. Looking back at humankind’s great opportunities brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems, what we see is a history of courageous, inventive, and persistent people who capitalized on them for the betterment of us all.

But it wasn’t always easy fighting through the established beliefs and prejudices that stood in the way of this progress. Out of this maze of obstacles, perhaps the biggest challenge is to think outside the box as it were, and to become open enough, curious and courageous enough to go against what the majority of people think is right and possible. It has been said that truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Having the conviction to go through the first two phases is what it takes for those with vision to transcend things as they are and make them into what they can become.

This is the way it is for all of us. We all have desires, dreams, and goals that speak to us, that paint the picture of a better possible life or life experience. To reach this better place, we also face resistance from what others believe is not possible or appropriate for us. Pressure from family, the accepted norms, from friends or social groups can all affect and challenge our beliefs and goals. Should we go back to school and get that degree for a chance at a better or different job? Should we change careers? Start that business? Move to a different city or country? In the face of these decisions there will be resistance from others who are adamant that things won’t work out, who will point to all the unsolvable problems, and even call us crazy for trying.

I remember when my wife and I were considering moving from Los Angeles to the other side of the country, North Carolina, where we had only visited once. I’d lived in Los Angeles my entire life, and it’s where many people are trying to move to. When I told my doctor this, he scoffed at the idea and told us if we sold our home but then decided to move back, we’d never be able to afford to buy back into the L.

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