Your idea didn’t work.

Now what?

You were rejected.

Now what?

You lost the game.

Now what?

You failed.

Now what?

I could continue listing several more unfortunate scenarios that will lead to asking, now what, but I figure you’ve got the point.

So, what will you do when you encounter failures, rejections, and setbacks?

Wallowing in self-pity and quitting are both valid options, but for how long?

Eventually, you’ll have to ask yourself, now what do I do?

When you’re faced with the question of now what to do, your options are live a life of resignation, one where you no longer attempt anything you want to do or pick yourself up and continue moving forward and pursuing the things you want out of life.

While the first option of not pursuing what you desire might seem like a safe bet, it will leave you feeling hollow and unfulfilled. It may even lead to a life of regret when you realize that, as the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote, “tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”

Now the second option of picking yourself up and continuing your pursuit is one that is dotted with emotional landmines, some that might be obvious but others hidden. When you encounter them, you’ll again be forced to deal with a now what scenario. But even though this path may leave you with scars, emotional and at times physical, it will also leave you feeling more fulfilled and even a sense of pride because you went for it.  

So, the next time you find yourself in a situation where things didn’t go the way you wanted, and you’re asking your asking yourself, now what to do. Remind yourself that while it might be tempting to turn inward and lead a hermetically sealed life, that’s not what you’re designed to do. You’re meant to create and pursue, not because you’ll always be successful, but because it’s what life is all about.

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