Why Mess Rhymes With Success
Bringing order where there is chaos is a skill so simple yet so overlooked that some of those who’ve taken it to heart and consistently integrated it into their lives have accomplished things beyond their own imaginations. Why is this true? It is true because the people who follow this uncomplicated principle are able to clearly see problems that need solutions and solve these problems in a step-by-step, organized manner and benefit others in the meantime while, ultimately, also benefitting themselves by establishing trust and great reputations in the long term. Then, as time goes by and they continue solving problems with growing efficiency built upon valuable experience, such individuals find ways to scale their success, grow thriving businesses, and help others do the same.
As a medical professional, investor, and coach, I tend to connect my experience from one field to the next, draw parallels, and integrate everything I know into the problem-solving approach I’ve described in detail in my book, It Really Is Simple: A Holistic Approach to Self-Confidence — A Practical Guide. This may sound too complex to some, but in reality, it isn’t. It actually makes things much simpler, hence the title of my book.
Soon after I began nursing school in 2009, I discovered with a great degree of disappointment that I was among the very few in my class of over ninety people who bothered to read the thick nursing textbooks. Not only that, but I had, in fact, read some of these books from cover to cover at least twice before the classes started. There was a simple reason behind this behavior, too: I was a late starter in my thirties with absolutely minimal science knowledge base and nonexistent scientific vocabulary in English. I still remember the mini-shock I found myself in when a nursing classmate asked our clinical preceptor during a briefing what a bolus was in relation to the gastrointestinal system. This term was taught in Anatomy and Physiology class, which we had all taken already. I mean, seriously, it was basic stuff. Knowing the importance of having deep understanding of the ways our bodies work and being competent when solving health problems, and how expensive healthcare is in the United States, I had great trouble reconciling the medical ethics concept with people who wouldn’t open a reading material to at least learn the basics. How do you apply good clinical judgment to be of maximum help to those who need it the most with deficient basic knowledge in a hyper-bureaucratic and money-driven field where change is a constant?
Learning pathophysiology created a foundation for my ability to solve problems beyond my nursing profession, only I was not aware of this while in the process of acquiring this knowledge because, at the time, the sense of urgency to improve my odds in life was way too high. The year 2008 was one of the most chaotic times in my then thirty-two-year existence and, while I now appreciate it for the kick in the rear I experienced to finally get my act together, you will have to pay me a lot of money to get me to go through this particular episode of my life ever again.
Problem solving by bringing order where there is chaos is accomplished on multiple levels in a person’s life. It is a very, very simple principle that is also strangely adept at escaping our attention on multiple levels. Just as the most persistent and complex health conditions must be traced down to the cellular level to treat effectively rather than only address the superficial layers known as symptoms, every other challenge in life becomes less and less overwhelming when properly analyzed, understood, and organized in a way that clutter in all forms can be removed. Various kinds of clutter oftentimes obscure the main issue like a maze. The same principle is valid in your financial literacy and growth, and the same exact principle is valid in your choice and handling of relationships and your life in general.
I have found that equating chaos with clutter makes it easier for me to get a clear picture of any challenge at hand. Over the years, I have encountered clutter in my house and removed it, clutter in my relationships and cleared it up, clutter in my finances and sorted it out to the penny, clutter in my eating habits and organized those to the crumb, clutter in my daily routines and strived to manage my time to the minute. I must admit that the last one can be a struggle, but I don’t back away from this challenge because I would rather push myself to the edge than fall back into past lazy habits that kept me poor and enraged at the whole world for a long time and made for lasting bitterness and unnecessary regrets.
The most crucial step to finding order where there is chaos and becoming successful beyond your wildest dreams is to first and foremost reorganize your thoughts in terms of type and quality. I have discussed this process at great length in Chapter 8 of my book, but it is important to understand that this is where most people slip early on in any endeavor that may likely push them out of their comfort zone, and they end up disappointed and hence give up.
Once you’ve taken care of the clutter and look carefully at what’s left, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find yourself in a vast, breathable metaphoric space, along with a few essential problem components to consider and put in order accordingly. These few components are the most pressing points that you have been ignoring forever, whether they are related to your health, spirituality, career, finances, relationships, or all of these combined. Things tend to overlap — this is what makes life really interesting or frustrating, so our job is to untie the knot.
Understand that the most a good doctor or health coach can do for your chronic health condition is give you valuable information that would lead you to a safe, practical solution, but the rest of the way, meaning your actual complete recovery, is 100% your responsibility with regards to application of this knowledge through lifestyle change. You are the one who must ditch the clutter from your health, such as the disease-causing foods and drinks and the sedentary routines. Your doctor didn’t choose these for you. You did.
Same thing with your financials: a financial or investment coach will show you how to organize your spending habits and bring your cravings for worthless items (financial clutter) under control, and will show you ways to invest your hard-earned money into cash-flowing assets, yet the implementation of such a financial plan over the long term is 100% your responsibility. Can’t blame your coach for your chosen habits, sorry!
As far as your relationship choices are concerned, you can probably see by now that whom you hang out with can greatly affect your health and financial decisions, so there’s quite a bit to consider here, too. And, because we are speaking of clutter, do you truly believe that most of the people you’re, for whatever reason, striving to impress are really worth your time and effort? If your answer is “yes,” think again. There’s no worse clutter than the one created by people who are detrimental to your personal growth. Usually, these are relatives and poorly chosen friends.
Do not be afraid to honestly determine what or who is causing clutter in your life and standing in the way of your success. Find this out and take action right away. Much as projected starting dates in the near future can be comforting to the lazy mind, remember that there is no time like the present and that time is and will always remain your most valuable asset — once it’s gone, you can never get it back!