Sometimes ago, I was watching the TV, and it was this same Doris Day’s song that I had always loved as a kid.
But this time around, I had some time to reflect more on that song.
The story behind the song is about a young girl who is curious about her future:
- Will I be rich?
- Or will I be beautiful?
- Can I become a doctor – or a teacher?
So she decides to ask her mother. You can read the lyrics here:
“When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be
Will I be pretty?
Will I be rich?
Here’s what she said to me.”
It doesn’t surprise me to see that the Mothers’s response became one of the most common sayings in the world today:
“Que Sera Sera! What will be will be!
The future is not ours to see.
Que será será! What will be, will be.”
I liked the message, but I had to ask myself a question: Is Que Sera Sera true, and can I teach my future kids this message about life and goals?
Can I still build a six-figure business dozing off on my couch – or pay off a $10,000 debt while I keep chomping groceries on credit and doling out money at bars?
Unfortunately, life is not that simple.
To succeed in life, you have to take charge of your goals and work it out. I like this quote from Benjamin Franklin: “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail“
What does that mean?
To pass my exams, I have to read hard and prepare well. To pay off my debt, I have to spend wisely and save right.
5 Strong Life Lessons I Won’t Forget to Teach My Future Kids About Que Sera Sera
1. Appreciate What You Have at Hand
Now, I think this is the lesson the song seeks to pass.
To succeed in life: academics, finances, business, or whatever it is, first, you have to be happy with your life and full of hope.
You can’t do that if you spend all the thinking about what you’ve lost, what you don’t have, or how life has been unfair.
You were born poor, didn’t finish college, don’t have money, or you are deep in debt, there w’d still that thing you have:
- May be you are good in sports or.
- You are good at singing.
- And most importantly, a life and a hope.
So don’t sulk in the corner and give up your hope. Stand up, start with what you have and work towards what you want.
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Don’t sulk about the millions of birds flying the sky, start nurturing the one bird you already have and nurture it to grow.”
2. Your Current State is Not Your “Fate”
Life is always on the move. Time itself ticks away. There is always a room to be better. So don’t ever stop trying to reach higher.
You have a great business concept in your head, but no money? There’s something more you can do.
Meet up with people, share your concepts, and bring your dream to a reality.
I remember asking myself sometimes ago:
“What would have happened to Facebook If Zuckerberg never got on his feet and shared the concept with Saverin or Thiel?”
Well, perhaps Facebook would never have been!
The truth is, we won’t always have all it takes by ourselves. That’s why we need to reach out to the right people.
3. Most times, things won’t be, unless we work it to be.
I learned from childhood how easy it was to dream. I could close my eyes and see myself on a bed of diamond frame, and blue rose cushion.
It happens in an instant!
But how many people achieve their childhood dreams?
Probably less than 8 percent!
That’s because it only takes a wish to dream, but it takes much more to fulfill a dream and achieve a goal.
“Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation”
For example, if you want to appear in Forbes 30 under 30, you won’t do it by just sitting on your couch, and siging “What will be will be”.
No, you have to start a business and work freaking hard for it.
“Life is not meant to happen to us. It’s our choice make it happen for us.”
4. Blame No One. Try one more time, but Never Stop Trying.
It is easy to blame it on bad luck when some things happen to us:
“May be it’s fate”. We say!
But most times, things happen because of what we do or fail to do. And we should be taking more responsibilities:
For example, did you lose that business proposal?
Then, perhaps you can win it next time if you take the time to cross your “t’s” and send it early.
5. When the Going gets Tough, Keep Your Eyes on Your Goal
Finally, as you go through life, tough challenges will come, but goal-getters don’t give up their fights.
Keep your eyes on your goals, and don’t ever give up in the face of challenges.
Don’t just wait, and wish for life to happen to you. Go for it, and make your dreams happen for you.
