When Doors Close, Run Through the Open Ones

A note to young leaders.

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it can only be lived forwards.” Thus spoke the Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard.

Take the fated life of Spanish singer-songwriter, Julio Iglesias.

At the age of 19, Julio was selected to play as goalkeeper for Real Madrid’s first team. One day short of his 20th birthday, with one subject left to complete his law degree, Julio was involved in a serious car accident that left him unable to walk for two years.

During his stay at the hospital, a nurse gave him a guitar, as therapy to improve the dexterity in his fingers. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, Julio wrote a song “La Vida Sigue Igual” – meaning “life goes on just the same.”

The opposite was true. Julio’s life dramatically changed. With no formal training in music or singing, he backed himself and went on to become one of the best-selling artists of all time, selling over 300 million records in 14 languages.

When some doors suddenly close, others necessarily open.

Don’t waste time knocking on closed doors. Find the open doors and don’t just walk through them, run through them.

Open doors are the pathways to your higher calling.