Resolution

There is a phenomenon, a rather peculiar one, that sometimes takes place in a person's life. One day you wake up—in the middle of the night or as usual—and you know exactly what you must do, how you must do it, and the final goal or purpose that drives you. It is not a matter of resources or time, but of commitment; of having decided that your life, your energies, and all your effort will be given over entirely to an idea that obsesses you, and that you will not stop until you have reached it or seen it made real.

That state of consciousness, which could be described as ideal in certain circumstances, is what I have called “resolution.” If we stick to the strict definition of the word, we find that resolution is understood as the act of resolving, of bringing a line of reasoning to an end, of issuing a decree or a decision, of displaying an attitude of courage, of providing a solution to a problem, difficulty, or doubt. All of these descriptions fit perfectly with the sense I am interested in conveying.

Many times we live with doubts, in a state of indecision, stagnation, or else without a purpose to guide us. Sometimes these are transitory periods that belong to the natural course of life; others live in them permanently. However, some of us are fortunate enough to experience that state of “resolution,” in which we gain the courage to face absolutely everything, to take responsibility for our reality, and to generate the solutions that will bring us well-being or allow us to reach our goals. This state of consciousness allows you to move forward without distractions, focusing exclusively on what contributes to your journey. It is therefore a fundamentally selfish state, because within it you understand that no one will place your interests above their own; and once you internalize that logic, you will see how you end up drifting away from many people, but at the same time you will notice how you draw closer to your goals at a speed you could never have imagined.

In a state of resolution you will not be alone; there will be people who begin to value you and support you because they respect your determination, and who will try to find the common ground that allows both parties to grow. Those are the kind of people who add value, who allow you to move faster toward your goal; you shed all the dead weight of relationships that kept you from moving forward. You shed not only people, but also habits, values, beliefs, attitudes, and even unnecessary information and knowledge. You begin to determine which elements are dispensable and which are indispensable in your life. You understand that life is like a dish: you must seek out the right ingredients to prepare it, and you alone are responsible for making sure its final flavor is the one that satisfies you.

Reaching a state of resolution can be as fortuitous as it is planned. It may come about through a traumatic event that triggers a set of changes within your being, or it may be the natural product of a set of decisions you have consciously made. One way or another, it is a particularly beautiful phenomenon, because it connects you with your essence and sets you on the path toward a worthy purpose.

I, in particular, have experienced a state of resolution on several occasions. One day I woke up and decided that, regardless of the money, time, or energy it would demand, I would reach my goal. Now, looking at the starting point in perspective, what I achieved seems surprising to me, even unreal. In the most difficult moments—of which there were not a few—there always emerged, almost miraculously, a situation, an alternative, a solution that allowed me to get ahead. Beyond fortune or personal luck, I believe the essential thing was the state of resolution I was in, since those opportunities could not have been seized without the strong commitment to reaching my final goal. Sometimes we are fortunate in ways we are not entirely aware of, and we can only act to the benefit of our goal when we are determined to articulate those advantages in order to carry out our project.

These last four years have been wonderful. I lost many people and things that used to have value for me, but I gained others that added incredibly to my life project and led me to reach a state of satisfaction I never imagined. After four years, I return to this space to write—not so much for a professional purpose, but to share, from my own personal reality, some ideas and thoughts that are beginning to surface.