Everything is a step to a better place
Inevitably, everything we go through in life is a step to help us get to a better place. However, research shows that we often, inaccurately, think that the way things are now is the way things will continue to be.
If you're thriving in life and work, that's maybe not a bad thing, but if you're failing in several areas, then this is a dangerous psychological tendency. And we all share it.
When we're at rock bottom, we are confident that there's no way up. We think we'll never get out of the rut. Researchers call this the "end of history illusion." We believe everything will remain unchanged from here on out.
The trick is to see everything as a step because when it comes to predicting the future, we're all ignorant. We confuse the challenge of picturing change with the improbability of evolution itself. In other words, you can't imagine yourself changing, so you assume that you won't.
Because our seeing-into-the-future skills suck, we think because we can't see into the future, there aren't any more steps in the right direction. But there are more steps. And change will come, it always does.
So be kind to yourself. When you're convinced that you're stuck and that there's no way forward, remember: There's a future you're not seeing. It's very likely that what you're going through is a step toward a future you'll be happy with; you just can't see it yet.