I’m all alone!

I always find it strange that when there’s something I really want or need- money, time, super powers, insight- or just a break; everyone else seems to have it and I don’t.

Of course when it comes to adversity, misery, hardship, there’s nobody else who feels my pain.

I’m all alone in the universe! Where is this great cosmic abundance all the Secret-self-help gurus are preaching about?

To tell the truth- I don’t usually feel this way. I just thought you’d pay more attention if I used myself as the example. I thought I’d take the pressure off you if I told the story in the first person.

Haven’t you felt that way at times?

I don’t know what it is lately, but I seem to be assaulted by people lamenting all the talents and breaks they don’t have while bemoaning all the misery and hardship that only they suffer alone. Of course the fact that I’ve encountered several of these poor suffering bastards over the past few weeks clearly indicates that no one of them is truly suffering alone.

There’s plenty of ‘em!

Look- I’m not preaching from the mountain. I’m a former drug abuser. I’ve lived in abject poverty. I’ve had less than nothing and at times felt truly alone in the world.

I wasn’t. None of us are.

I was giving a talk to a group of executives a couple of months ago. These guys are real movers and shakers in the business world. The minimum qualification for this group is that their business produces more than $2 million a year in revenues.

I asked them for a show of hands, “How many of you have ever been truly broke? How many of you have lost everything?”

You might not expect to see a single hand…how about half the group?

At times, you might think that successful people have somehow cornered the market on luck. You might feel like everyone else knows The Secret and you don’t. You may feel isolated and alone…you’re not…everyone feels that way sometimes.

So what can you do about it?

First of all, be very careful about who you do spend time with. Misery really does love company and miserable people are master networkers…with other miserable people!

Don’t attend the pity party!

Find people who are where you want to go…and go there! Remember, most of them were where you are now! If there is a difference, they know how to go from here to there; they’ve done it.

Find examples of people who have overcome adversity and do what they did. The formula is not usually complicated. The “secret,” if there is one in this case, is Perseverance. These folks learned how to whether the storm. They had the focus, discipline and courage to keep on keeping on.

You do too.

You may feel alone; you’re not. You may feel like your situation or condition is unique; it isn’t.

Most people feel isolated and alone at times. Some people choose to do something about it and some people don’t.

Who do you think will really be alone in the long run?