Closing doors


    I recently e-mailed several of you an article about closing certain doors to maximize productivity and focus. I have thought about it a lot since. I was, as the article proposed, shocked by the idea, and read the article more out of determination to prove it wrong as to learn from it. I take great pride in my ability to multi-task, and I love to be busy and involved. However, the article helped me realize the blessings lost opportunities have been in my life, as well as how I shouldn’t allow missed chances to be so devastating. I am in a career were lost opportunity is abundant. I just took another audition on Wednesday, with little success. It’s hard to feel that the time taken and sacrifice made to prepare and attend these auditions is worth it, and yet in the end, not taking part in these various programs has allowed me to grow in many other ways. How grateful I am, now, that last summer I wasn’t accepted into the programs I applied for because I was able to, well, get married, but also attend a family reunion and a wedding in Hawaii! Deciding that I didn’t need to exercise everyday has helped me feel justified in spending time reading the news, learning about the political candidates, and reading- without feeling that doing so was at the expense of something else (at which point it is hard to focus.)  I struggle with lost opportunity, generally considering it failure, but I hope in the future I can look at it as “no” to a question. And yes to “look further.” No doesn’t mean give up, or you’re not good enough, it just means no.


One response to “Closing doors”

  1. Great article. The more I think about it the more ways I see it applying. For example, shopping is not enjoyable to be, in fact, it stresses me out. Why? The easy answer is that I’m cheap and simply hate spending money—even for things I want or need. However, that merely begs the question as to why I hate spending money. Perhaps, the explanation comes from a reluctance to shut doors. Suppose I need a pair of shoes. Given my cheapness, I will buy only one pair of shoes and obligate myself to find the best (superlative intended) deal. Accordingly, it stresses me out to pull the trigger and actually buy something—even if the shoes are what I need and competitively priced—because purchasing one pair of shoes, for me, closes the door on all other shoe deals. I’m bound to have someone tell me they bought better shoes for half the price and perhaps it is that subconscious reality that turns my stomach. Good thing we’re soon to have a psychologist in the family. Trevor could spend a career peeling my onion.

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