In life and business, we often face challenging situations where we have to make a hard choice. These challenge our beliefs, sensibilities and principles. These are hurdles on the highway of life. The question we then have to answer is whether we jump over the highways and continue, or take the exit ramp off the highway. The answer, of course, depends on each of us and our analysis of the situation. There is no right or wrong answer here — it is a choice each of us has to make. Sometimes, crossing the hurdle makes sense, while at other times, the exit is the smarter option.
One principle I have found useful in deciding which path to take is to keep in mind the destination. What is the goal that one wishes to achieve? More often than not, I have realised that battling the odds (however high) and staying the course on the highway has worked better for me. Because only by staying on the highway can hope to reach the destination. And for that, one will have to cross “hurdles beyond hurdles” (to paraphrase the title of a book by Tracy Kidder — Mountains beyond Mountains). I have find in more situations than not that the harder the challenge, the greater is the learning. And lesser the competition.
