We are happy to share an article from our friend Moshen Zargaran titled Life is A Roller-Coaster. Read below to learn what he means by “Ups and Downs are the Trend Line of Life.”
Life is A Roller-Coaster
The saying, “life is like a roller-coaster,” is one that I’m sure is known to many of us. If 
We have all gone through periods in our lives where we have felt negative emotions, and invasive thoughts begin to creep upon us. Maybe you have felt scared, sad, insecure, depressed, or abandoned. Some of you may even be feeling this way right now. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, you may be going through some difficulty in your life. It is clear to see that the pandemic has a much further-reaching impact on people other than just their health. You may be in the prime of your health, but experiencing difficulty in your work life or personal life due to the massive pressures that are currently being placed upon us.
I’m going to take you through a concept centered on this notion of life being like a roller-coaster.
This is what we call the trend-line of life.
There are highs, and there are lows. This is an unavoidable fact of life. It’s important to note that in the grand scheme of things, and even aside from this pandemic, it is impossible to experience a state of happiness and success all of the time. In order for us to keep going up along the trend line, we need some breaks along the way. Each time we reach a peak in life, it is tempting to feel as though it is the end of our major struggles. We want to believe that we have finally made it over every hurdle and that the only thing we need to do is to push a little harder to reach further heights. However, life is full of these hurdles, as I have pointed out. Let’s think back to the roller-coaster for a second. When we reach the precipice, we cannot see the tracks below, nor can we see them ahead. Instinctively, we know that a fall is coming.
The same way that we pre-empt a fall, we also need to be aware of an upcoming rise. During our lows, it is easy to feel as though we have always been there and that we will be down in the pits forever. This is not true. Just as an arrow gets pulled backwards before it is shot into the horizon, you are about to soar again! Take the lows as a temporary pause to build up your momentum, just like that arrow, and just like a roller-coaster, as it climbs the tracks.
As we evaluate our own trend-line of life, the key is to ask ourselves whether or not our most recent “high-low” experiences are higher than our previous “high-low” experiences. If your answer is “yes,” then you are already on the right path. I’m going to walk you through some examples to help you zoom out and see the bigger picture.
I want you to think back on your life. Think back on all of your successes and all of your failures. Pick any moment when you felt like you were the happiest person on earth. Can you remember it clearly? Now I want you to think back on a time when you were in your darkest depths and, perhaps, even in a state of depression. Do you remember climbing out of that darkness? For many of us, we can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, but somehow we made it out of the pit, and we felt good again.
Does this cycle sound familiar? We all go through this cycle throughout our lives. Trust me; you are not alone. Even the most wealthy and seemingly well-to-do individuals go through this cycle.
You may have heard stories about wealthy people who have taken a financial fall, only to make an incredible comeback. You may have experienced heartbreak in your life and gone on to find someone better suited to you. We are continually going through this cycle, even if we are not fully aware of it.
Even if you look at corporate giants’ stock price over the years, the same pattern repeats itself over time, but ultimately the stock price has seen an overall increase since its inception. As I have mentioned, this very same cycle is ongoing in your personal and work life. The falls are inevitable. Sometimes it’s due to our own mistakes; sometimes, it’s due to the negative influence of others, but most of the time, it’s just natural and unavoidable circumstances in our lives.
Allow me to tell you another personal story for reference:
In 2013, I joined a company in a middle management position. Within a couple of years, I had climbed the corporate ladder and found myself in a senior position. I knew that according to the life trend, I was near the top. I began expecting something bad to come along soon.
I didn’t want to be taken by surprise, so I began planning for my downfall. Believe me, it is not easy to plan for your own failure, but I knew that this was inevitable. I looked for opportunities that inherently included a manageable threat, but that could help me continue my upward movement in the long term. Finally, I settled on the decision to change my industry from a B2B service background to a B2C retail industry.
It was a huge change, and it put an immense amount of pressure on me. I went through a very difficult time until I was finally able to cope with the challenges of my new role and overcome the obstacles. I had started from scratch. Over time, I learned how to survive in the new industry, and I went on to build a new network of valuable connections. It was really worth it. I reached new heights, both financially and professionally.
We must understand that it is equally important to plan for your failures as it is to plan for your successes, if not more so! We must prepare for a “planned bottom,” so as not to be caught unawares when we do take a fall.
How can you use all of this to your advantage?
- Be aware of the life trend line and the cyclical effect that it has.
- Know that you won’t always be at the top or at the bottom.
- Acknowledge the fact that even on an uptrend, you will experience peaks and valleys.
- As you approach the top, prepare yourself for the descent and, what we call, “The Planned Bottom.”
- Plan ahead of time in order to manage the consequences and to orchestrate the necessary changes by yourself.
If you are constantly aware of your location on the path of life, you will be able to mitigate potential falls and have a happier life!
How does it apply to you in your life?
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