Leadership Thought #269 – All Things Must Pass

December 22, 2011

All Things Must Pass… I was listening to George Harrison’s song of the same title recently, and it had a profound impact on me. I’ve always liked the song, but have never stopped to truly ponder what he was trying to say. They say there is beauty in simplicity, and the lyrics of this song nicely capture the inevitable challenge of “loss” in life. George never overdid it with his lyrics, which is why some of his best songs are so memorable.

Whether we like it or not, “all things must pass.” Everything has a beginning and an end. Nothing besides space is infinite. Youth, careers, relationships, roles, responsibilities, health, and life itself all transition and conclude at some point. Many of us struggle with this reality. We hope that things will always stay in their ideal state. Rather than accepting the fragility and transient nature of things, we tend to ignore them and hope they don’t affect us, even though they will.

Coping with loss is a big part of life. We shouldn’t resist the gravitational pull of our mortality and vulnerability—I say, embrace it! Live in the moment. Appreciate life when things are going well, but don’t despair too much during periods of loss and adversity. Trust me; I know this isn’t always so easy.

Do your best to build high-quality relationships and nurture them. You will need to lean on them one day. When you do commit to another person, pick wisely and then commit fully. If these relationships end prematurely, do your best to accept this fact gracefully and with your self-respect intact. No good ever comes from causing or wishing harm to another person.

Pick a career or vocation that inspires, fulfills, or motivates you. This decision will make the journey more gratifying. At a minimum, try not to put yourself in work situations that sap your physical/emotional energy and minimize your sense of self-worth. It’s also important not to be afraid to make changes when the job no longer meets at least one of these criteria.

Take care of your body and health; it will forestall the natural breakdowns and sustain you when you are physically vulnerable and in need of strength. However, accept the fact that physical aging is the natural course of things and recalibrate your activities accordingly. The good news is that wisdom usually also comes with age.

Don’t get too attached to things, especially expensive ones. Material things will only create fleeting pleasure and potentially lead to financial traps that become hard to escape from. If you are not careful, money issues can quickly bleed into all aspects of your life. Only a small percentage of us will live without financial worry; make sure it’s the right worries.

The good news is that change can spur reinvention. We must do our best to accept what we can’t control and move on from there. It may be cliché, but it truly isn’t what happens to us in life; how we respond to it matters. We can continue to grow and learn from our experiences. Moreover, I encourage you to fully acknowledge and experience your emotional reactions to things rather than practicing avoidance or letting them fester. You can’t ignore or fast-forward the grieving process. Seek professional help if needed. Healing does take some time, but in most cases it does happen.

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