# Chapter 263

It is difficult for most of us to make progress in overcoming our environments and histories. Though we do love to write stories about it and tell stories about it. I think 70% of the novels I read are at heart, overcoming their tragedies and histories stories. Real life does not work so neatly. And almost never in the young. Those I do see changing their trajectories in life are doing it later in life when they can think and when they can have some perspective. Even as a consultant with leaders around the world, I find that helping them think and have perspective earlier rather than later in life is one of the best gifts that I can give them. But I digress.

What I am speaking of here are my own observations and experiences and 60 years of watching other people fail to overcome their particular challenges. I am watching it still in me, my wife, our children, our grandkids and our neighbors. It is the older ones who are having most success and the youngest one’s the least. Even Brenda admits that we are something quite different than our parents at this age. Our pasts do not determine our futures, but they sure do put a lot of pressure on those futures. Most of us are just a bundle of intense emotions and feelings and reactions. Few of us have clarity and think and choose. These emotions feelings and reactions are powerful forces in our lives and they are plenty difficult to override and overcome and allow clarity thought and choice to have a say. Look for perspective and spend some thinking time if you want to shorten this course correction in your life.