Be Realistic, Success Is For The Realistic

By Gerald S. Sikazwe

View-points of situations usually vary. They are affected by so many factors such as emotions, beliefs and facts known about them. How we view situations we pass through or people we encounter if influenced by our values, beliefs, fears, hopes and our knowledge of the same. Sometimes we choose willingly or unwilling and consciously or unconsciously to see situations from only one view-point. We are subject in our look at things we come across or those that we happening. This is referred as subjectivity, where one cannot see the ‘whole picture’ but only limits himself or herself to what their background (values, beliefs, knowledge) and emotions allows them to see. This is not being realistic; it is being overly short sighted. Being realistic is being sharp sighted, seeing situations as what they really are (subtracting nothing but inclusive of all present sides).

Our short sightedness does more harm to us than good; it makes us miss some other important side of situations or occurrences that we experience. For example when we want to try out something we will fear to take the first step because we are filled with thought of ‘what if it won’t work?’ when there is another side to that that is ‘what if it does work?’ Being subjective limits from seeing a situation beyond your what you have been exposed to; your feelings toward the situation you are in, your beliefs of it, your fears of it and the knowledge you have about it. This kind of thinking is not one to be relied upon, otherwise stagnation, unending failure and hopelessness is what you shall be awarded with.

To be realistic you must be positive-minded, willing always to see the little flickers of light at the end of the tunnel or in any situation however gruesome or dark. You must be a person who thinks mostly of how in every situation, between what is possible or impossible, lies a thin slim line. You make things happen, how you think and how you decide to act on them determines whether or not impossible are possible. And I can assure you that it is difficult to see the whole picture, realistically, when you are negative-minded, unwilling to consider the possible other side of a situation.

To be realistic, we are required also to be logical, reasonably real and fair. We must people who view situations in a reasonably real and fair way. The question I will ask is, “is it true that the problem you are going through cannot be solved?” The truth is that it is not! However, you are forced to thinking simply because you view your problems from one angle, your angle and there all you see illogically is how big the problem. From your angle since you lack experience of when such a problem was solved you then conclude it cannot be solved. Limited by your beliefs, facts and emotions (fear) you conclude that there is no solution to your problem, when in fact there may be more than one solution that you just do not know or think exist. So to be realistic there is need to view our situations in life with logic and fairness.

Another way in which we can be realistic is mind the companies we keep, if you continue keeping the companies of short-sighted people you will never see the ‘whole picture’. Such people will always tell you it is not possible, yes because they cannot see its possibility they are short-sighted! Therefore, rid yourself of people who are not willing identify and consider other sides that situations have. These people will always cloud your eyes, so you too cannot see just as they cannot. They are simply illogically short-sighted, unreasonably real and fair in their consideration of situations. They cannot appreciate views realistically they are biased, limited by their experiences, values, beliefs, knowledge and their emotions.

Choose to see beyond one side of a situation you pass through, decide today to consider a holistic (whole picture) view of all situations you find yourself in. Be long and holistic sighted always.
Success is for the realistic, be realistic!