, , ,

What do you do when you’re a “Has Been?”


ID-100351833I find it rather peculiar to have come across a few “has been” and see the fate of their life today.

One is a cool gentleman who took it all in and resigned to living a life out of stardom. The other, yearning for “could’ve been’s”. While the former is easy to talk to, fun and jovial like a friendly celebrity would, the other is like an angry but controlled bull, ready to charge at anytime.

What do you do then if you’re a “has been”? I think this is a very difficult question to answer, especially if you’ve advanced in age or career, or both.

My personal experience of this “has been” phenomenon occurred every few years I must say, at least in the last decade. Firstly, I graduated from my Bachelor’s Degree at 29, very much later than my peers. I thought then, “Where in the world have I been and where do I go from here?”

A few years later when I struggled in my previous enterprise during its start-up years, again the question came, only louder. “Am I going to result in a ‘has been’ life?”

When I was in that dark cocoon, I actually couldn’t quite count how the memories of such fatal livelihood had tried to pin my thoughts down, and my life in that process. To a certain foreseeable extent, I thought I was going crazy. And today, I believe if I had succumbed to those threats, I would suffer with the million souls out there, searching and still trying to uncover our talent and our very destiny.

Stand Up

To some, this great big gap in life is the perfect opportunity for a soul-searching experience. Others see it as the best time to switch to another industry or even kick-start a new business venture. There are also those who would go back to school or answer the charitable call. Honestly though, when you have choices, it means life could still afford you the luxury to make a choice, but what if you don’t?

Specimen 1 – I have a friend who is reeling in pain. He’s been out of job for more than half a year now and still it hurts to even send in another resume because of the lack of response or the seemingly ill promises of friends “offering” to help. His age is pushing half a century now. Is there a choice?

Specimen 2 – A mild-mannered and well qualified gentleman and business owner ended up in a financial dilemma due to personal issues beyond anyone’s control. He is 40 and facing possibility of insolvency. Is there a choice?

Specimen 3 – A failed businessman has sat down at home for a better part of the last dozen years. He attempted to reignite the enterprising passion but was often hampered by his ignorance and lack of literacy in today’s high-tech world of mice and keyboards. He is 65 this year and still jobless. Is there a choice?

The answer to that million dollar question actually resides within our souls and our minds. In the moments that I have encountered those challenges, especially plagued by the “has been” bug, there were a few moments where I would wallow in self-pity and cried out “This can’t be it!” But after awakening from such disillusioned spells, I’d tell myself, “Yes there is hope, there is a choice and it begins now!”

It is in the “it begins now spirit” where I would reorganise my thoughts and realign my spirit. And I would charge like a bull like the angry depleted has-been sportsman. Sometimes I find victory, sometimes I wait for the victory. Failure? I just have to toss it somewhere else.

The draft of this writing has been sitting in the till since 6th of May this year, more than 5 months now. But it sure was a good wait because the last five months have been more than eventful. It has been a recharging of the spirit, mind, body with strength, tenacity, endurance and power. What I’ve been up to in the last 5 months have been an orderly pursuit put together to lead me to where I am today.

In the five months gap and never in my wildest dream would I have thought I would assist a friend to complete a dream that would be the answer to overcoming the “Has Been” syndrome.

The five months that passed has led to the production of Johann Paul Gregory’s maiden book – Overcome Tough Times. In it are “1 Foreword, 1 Advocacy, 5 Reflections and 13 Chapters” of motivating wisdom to reignite any dimmed passion and reposition any loss direction. 

OTTFrontCoverIt is a book perfectly made by a professional speaker and trainer for the world to stand up and be counted in their life. It is a book meant to rekindle any disheartened memories in one’s professional career and personal life. It is a book that will bring back the desire for victory, happiness and of targets and goals. More eloquently, Overcome Tough Times is in fact the remedy for the “has been’s” in and outside this story. But to not be mistaken, Overcome Tough Times is also suited for those who are enjoying the time of their lives where they can achieve more and better balance the burdens between their shoulders and their plate.

…and sometimes, life is such where you’d have to lift your hats off to thank the great Maker because just when you thought there no longer exists a cure for a plague such as this, it will literally emerge from under your nose to tell you that you’ve in fact just contributed to the manufacturing of the solution for it, and in that context, isn’t life amazing? Isn’t life worth living for?


For more about the book or to grab a copy, please go to www.overcometoughtimes.com.

Image courtesy of surasakiStock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *