Stop Complaining!

HERE’S THE THING

Mark Manson in his book “The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*ck”, nailed it when he said,

“ The world is totally f*ck’d, … it’s always been that way, and always will be.”

THE UNPACKING

Just look around you, and you will see in most countries and especially here, that things have not only fallen apart and will fall apart more, but it has always been so.

Our past is full of racial and economic problems, conflict, disease and disaster. Our present situation is worse, and it isn’t gonna get much better. We live in a world governed and run by doctrines, beliefs and teachings from people who lived thousands of years ago.

Imagine the limited knowledge that people had a thousand years ago; but we still indoctrinate our children with their teachings, theories and beliefs, and then we wonder why the world is in such a mess.

Watch any “normal” daily news channel and you will see riots, wars, conflict, bullies and discontent. Then change the channel to any involving history and you will see the exact same situations played out thousands of years ago. For the most part today, we function on outdated beliefs, actions, self-interest and personal gain. Not much has changed, not much will. It’s just our species being our species.

We elect, (via a mostly illiterate electorate in most cases and at best a limitedly educated electorate), people who have absolutely no skills in business, commerce, healthcare, sociology, leadership, entrepreneurship, problem-solving, or in some cases without even basic education. We elect populist presidents and ones with the equivalent of a 15-year-old child’s education! Look around the world and see for yourself. Then the voters expect these leaders to not only have their interests as a priority, but they expect them to be able to build economies, nations, healthcare, businesses and at the same time create a better life for all. Really? But you know all of this!

The real issue is that we, knowing this, constantly complain about how the government is running the country and the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 62% of people voted for the current government, on many different occasions, over a period of 25 years. Over 9 million registered voters never bothered to vote. And yet everyone complains about the government. The government that was chosen again, and again by the majority of its people. The government that was kept in place by the millions who treated the day as a holiday. For the other group, who did vote, and voted for someone else, how is that rocket scientist, politician working out for you? I guess it is true that you get the government you deserve. And if you think this is only a South African phenomenon you would be wrong.

What I’m trying to say is that the world has issues and problems and it always will have. The secret is to not get bogged down with it every day.

The secret is to accept what is happening and work around it. To create opportunities because of it. If you have a two-year-old child who cannot feed himself or tie his shoelaces; you don’t sit around complaining about the child to your friends on social media everyday. And you definitely don’t make him the CEO of a nuclear plant.  You acknowledge and accept that, (A) you had him, (B) it’s your problem, (C) he does not have the capabilities or competencies, and (D) you work with and around it.

When a government unable to run a country during “normal” everyday business, a government riddled with incompetence, nepotism, fraud, corruption, with not a single division or department being run efficiently, and you hand that government an additional bit of a pandemic to manage, control and solve, what do you expect to happen? And yet we run to social media and complain about it. Stop complaining. Open your eyes and see what is happening, what did always happen, and you will know what is probably going to happen in the future. These are the same people complaining that it’s cold in the winter and hot in the summer, as if it is new, unknown, unpredictable information.

Don’t get me wrong, there are many positive aspects to our country and there are also many capable, passionate people. These are the things and the people that we should be focusing on. These are the people we should be aligning ourselves with and be creating markets with for now and for the future.

THE APPLICATION

• If we spent half the amount of time focusing on what is working, and what does work, than we do on complaining, bitching, whingeing and moaning, then we would be in a different place.
• If we look at what is not working, and probably never will, and ask how we can fill that gap, how we can supply that service, then we are part of the solution.
• Home affairs had major problems issuing passports, so a corporation decided to apply to assist them and started issuing passports from dedicated home affairs centres in their buildings.
• Getting licences and paying traffic fines became an issue because of incompetence. Then certain companies opened the doors to assist in this regard. They not only provide a fantastic service, but they have opened up other business possibility.
• Instead of complaining about what is not working, rather ask what can I do to fix it, or who has already fixed it that I can support?
• What issues can you still see happening that you can prepare for or benefit from that still may occur in the future?
• If you wake up every day and accept that the world is stuffed, service is stuffed, people will let you down and only look after themselves, then you won’t have to stress or complain. And when someone acts kindly or efficiently or competently; appreciate, associate and create with them, to make life more pleasant and less stressful.
• For those who don’t know – a clear second economy is forming, (according to well-placed lecturers at business schools), a second economy made up of political and economically marginalised and legislatively excluded portions of civil society, and members of minority groups. People who are not complaining but are woke enough to see what is happening and are making a plan. Are you supporting local? Are you supporting small business? As a small business are you pricing for your communities and customers?

You know exactly why you have received this today. You’re welcome.

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