When you are at the bottom of the well looking up at the small round piece of blue sky, all you can think about is getting out.  Your only goal is to not be where you are right now.  Too many people only think about that one thing-getting out.  Yet, there is an even larger hurdle to deal with…what are you going to do after you get out?

Nobody thinks about the next step.  Ok, I climbed out of this metaphoric “well” of life issues and stress.  All I want to do is get away from the thing that is consuming me or causing the stress.  For some it’s a job, a relationship or a financial situation.  For others…they could actually be trapped in a well.  If that’s the case, start calling for Old Yeller.  Yet, even then, you need to calculate your next move.  A few scenes from now, Yeller is going to be foaming at the mouth and wanting to bite you. Didn’t think about that did ya? (Lassie would be a better choice).

You have to always consider multiple moves and how you are going to navigate those moves once you get out of the well. If you don’t, you will jump from one bad situation to another and to another; never taking the time to learn from the previous. 

What are you going to do better, in the next situation, to prevent yourself from falling again?  Many people learn just enough and find themselves in shallower wells each time.  Always looking and accepting the small upside of the new situation.  Great, you’re an optimist, but your ass is still looking up at the world from the bottom of the new situation.  Wouldn’t it be better to plan things out a little more, calculate the next move and have a life battle plan in front of you? 

You are so used to falling that you know no other life.  You think these options are your only options.  You actually find comfort in the familiarity of each bad situation and continue to restrict and limit your options-much like the walls of the well you’ll be forever forced to climb out of. 

I will give you credit.  While others have given up, you are still climbing.  Just do yourself a favor and stop JUST trying to get out and start planning what you will actually do WHEN you do get out.  Getting out of the well is not the real challenge. It’s STAYING out of the well.