Recently I saw a clip from a round table discussion being had by a few celebrities. Among them was legendary actor Tom Hanks.
He said something that I never considered before;
“I wish I had known that this too shall pass. You feel bad right now? You feel pissed off? You feel angry? This too shall pass. You feel great? You feel like you know all the answers? You feel like everybody finally gets you? This too shall pass. Time is your ally and if nothing else, just wait. Just wait it out"
Of course I've heard and repeated this too shall pass quite a few times in my life. It's the second example that I'd never really considered. When you feel great, when you're happy, when you're feeling on top of the world—it'll pass.
Not to throw a wet blanket on positivity. Rather, I think it's crucial to highlight the importance of staying composed. Having tact. Especially the seasons where confidence is sky-high. Where it feels like you can do no wrong.
I often hear professional athletes talk about the ebbs and flows of a competitive game. They tend to credit their team for “not getting too high or too low” throughout the contest. How important is it to just stay the course?
Referencing a documentary on former tennis star Andre Agassi—his coach once told him that in tennis, nothing is ever as good or as bad as it seems.
I think that applies to more than tennis. I look at my life and I've turned so many small things into big ones. Whether it be good or bad, I've accentuated the circumstance time and again.
I like Tom's revelation here. You feel great? You feel like you have all the answers? Time is your ally. If nothing else, just wait.