How to handle the fork in the road moments in your life

In 1966, inspired by my wife Lynda’s love and support, I finally decided to sacrifice the good times and go back to high school and study to complete my Year-12 certificate so I could get back into university to study law. This was one of the toughest decisions of my young life. This goal was never in doubt; it was just a matter of when it would be manifested.

Prepare for the kairos fork-in-the-road moments  

To study law at university and achieve my dreams, I still needed to pass Year 12 English, something that had eluded me twice already. I had planned to take the exam in 1965 but I was too busy savouring the shift from school to work and enjoying my time in law, property and rock ’n’ roll to set aside the time to make it happen.

My father often spoke of the ‘fork in the road’ where one has to face a choice and make a decision on what could be a pivotal life-changing moment. I call the kairos moments, based on an ancient Greek work meaning ‘the right or critical moment’.

My first kairos moment occurred on 31 August 1966(I can still remember the day), when I discovered that the admission rules to law school had suddenly changed and it was no longer enough for me to just get a pass in English. The new rules required repressing the whole of Year 12 and passing all the subjects on one sitting year. The end of the school year was just around the corner so this meant I had to study for all the subjects in just eight weeks. My first thought was, ‘I can’t do this’. My second thought was, ‘I have to do this’. There was no other option. I made the instant decision to take up the challenge.

But how was I actually going to make it happen? Fortunately, working as a junior in the law firm and being mentored by people like Tom Curry had exposed me to systems of success. One of the fundamentals of being a good lawyer is the ability to research and uncover facts and figures that others may overlook and to use them to your advantage. I could see that a lawyer’s true skill was not about knowing and remembering: it was about identifying the problem and knowing where to look for answers.

Through my experiences working with my dad and watching him and Tom in action, I came up with my own systems for manifesting any goal, a system that had underpinned all my successful endeavours since. I called this system ‘The ABC/123 formula for success’. ‘ABC’ reflects this profound simplicity:

•  Aware – be aware of what needs to be done.
•  Believe – believe that you can achieve it.
•  Commit – commit to taking action.

The ‘123 Formula for success that then needs to be implemented is as follows:

1. Identify the problem that needs to be solved.
2. Focus on the solution.
3. Execute the plan with enthusiasm.

I applied this formula to get through Year 12.  The process worked. I passed with flying colours and in 1967, at 22 years of age, I started my five-year law degree while I worked full-time in the law business.

Passing this Year 12 subjects in eight weeks after a two-year break taught me some invaluable principles that have shaped my journey to success. First, I realised there was a formula for achieving anything and that if you have the right mindset and understand the rules of manifestation, you can make magic.

The takeaway  

Some moments carry more weight that others. These are kairos moments, where one decision can shape the entire trajectory of your life. You may not get a second chance, so when that fork in the road appears, choose with clarity, courage and commitment.

The key is to be mentally prepared; know your process, trust your system and act decisively. Discipline, not drama, is what turns critical moments into defining victories. Your future is built in the instant you decide to say yes and follow through.

Written by Hilton Misso. Have you read?
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