This year is about to end. For some, this has been the best year ever. If you are in that category, perhaps you fulfilled your dreams, achieved your objectives, got a new job, made a large sum of money, got married, got gifted with a newborn baby, or won the lottery. Whatever the case, you are happy the year ends well for you. For some others, the year may be termed as “so-so”. It hasn’t been anything spectacularly different. You have mixed feelings. There were periods of both highs and lows. You are just hanging in there. Yet for others, the year hasn’t been pleasant. You have experienced some setbacks. You missed the marks. You wished things were better.

One of my philosophies is that our true experience results from how we think about our situations, and not so much about what happened. You may look at the year through the lens of pessimism, being uncontented with your results and becoming upset about what you didn’t achieve. You may neglect all the good times and focus on all the negatives. It is true that we all go through different events, and that life does not present equal opportunities to us. It is also true that some have been victims of circumstances where others have prevailed. However, our attitude determines whether we will be happy or angry. Our thinking leads us to either complain or remain unmoved.
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Instead of making a fuss about our situation, we may want to focus on the positives. Why is this important? Dwelling on what didn’t work, and complaining about it, does not change anything. Anger saps us of the energy we need to rise above the situations. To thrive, we must draw strengths from within, which is impossible without a positive mindset. We must stay positive regardless of whether we are on top of the world or in the valley of life. To finish the year well, we must put our experiences into proper perspectives. We must weigh our thoughts and be sure that we are seeing things clearly. After all, there are lots of beautiful things to celebrate. Please don’t make a fuss about anything. Celebrate instead.

We all have activities we put our effort into. Some of the efforts have yielded results while others have not. However, there can be no result if we do not channel our energies into whatever we are doing. One of the challenges we face is that, in most cases, we are not sure if our plans will work. We try to make educated decisions, ensuring that there is a basis for our choices. However, there is usually no guarantee that things will always work out the way we planned. Imagine that you are starting a new merchandizing business. You will probably create a plan, gather some capital, create an inventory, etc. Whether you start small or big, success is a matter of chance that depends on many factors. In some cases, we may even lack the knowledge to succeed, or the environment may not be conducive to thrive in.
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One mistake I have seen people make is that of an unending commitment to something that is not working. This is common in circumstances where something worked well in the past but has now been overtaken by change. In other cases, people may just be fixated on their ideas even though it has gulped up resources without yielding results. The worst case is that of someone who has authority over people and makes them continue a path that leads nowhere just because it was their idea in the first place. Although being tenacious is a great thing, everyone must learn to know when it is time to quit or to reevaluate the process. There is no point expending energy and resources in the same thing repeatedly when there is no result coming forth.

Here is the key message. To create or sustain success in our endeavours, we must be willing to question our assumptions and be ready to make changes when required. This may lead to a change of approach, a change of direction or even quitting to start over again. What matters the most is that our efforts do not go to waste. Even when we must keep trying until we reach the point of breakthrough, we must constantly reevaluate our approach to maximize opportunities. Stop escalating your commitment to something that is not working. Know when to stop and when to keep at it. 

It is possible for people around you to think that they know you. Don’t be surprised when you receive all kinds of tags. People will try to tell you who you are. You may hear things like: you are slow, you are impatient, you are shy, you are aggressive, you are a failure, etc. In fact, you may even take an online test that suggests who you are. Putting labels on people is a common thing. It is sometimes as if everyone around you knows you except yourself. Those observing you reach conclusions about you too quickly assuming that they have the power to do so.

Many have become victims of the labels put on them by people who have some kind of authority or influence over them. The label may come from parents, siblings, spouses, bosses, colleagues, friends, etc. The problem with accepting the labels is that of succumbing to behaviours that project that label as if one is being controlled by it. However, none of us has any permanent form of personality. Everyone can improve their behaviour, shape their character, and become a better individual. We should reject labels that do not define who we truly want to be and focus on building ourselves into the person we desire to become. 
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Are you wearing a tag put on you by those who exercise influence over you? Have you been labeled or assigned a personality type that doesn’t reflect your desire? It is time to reject the label and start working on personal improvements instead. Whatever anyone thinks or assumes about you does not tell your story. You can choose to become the person you have envisioned to be, and also determine how you present yourself to those around you. Do not let anyone belittle you or constrain you with a label. Reject the label and focus on personal growth.