Joseph Schumpeter showed that economic development undergoes waves of creative destruction. This theory posits that economic progress occurs through a continuous process where entrepreneurs introduce innovations that revolutionise economic structures from within, simultaneously destroying old industries while creating new ones.
As an economics nerd, I see being cheated on not as a dead end, but as part of a cycle. Much like the waves of ‘creative destruction’ that drive economies forward, the ordeal will propel you on to be stronger.
Borrowing Chump Lady’s terminology of “Chumped” for the cheated on, I thought “Chumpeterian Romantics” might be a positive way to view the heartrending process of being cheated on. Similar to economic progress, your romantic life is unlikely to be a nice linear path upwards ad-infinitum. However, the trajectory of life, whether in economics or romance, despite the vicissitudes present, is always towards the up and right.
There will be unpleasant times, when life evolves and mutates. To have to regress and see progress unravel before our eyes is never an easy feat. Take heart, though, that it is only when the outdated and obsolete are washed away that something new can emerge through continued investment. A relationship with someone who betrays your trust is like an outdated business model: it cannot sustain future growth. The destruction of the relationship with a cheater is necessary to develop a new relationship with someone you deserve. Think of your ex as Blockbuster Video: Once essential, now best replaced with a Netflix subscription.
People did not anticipate the development of the internet, the iPhone, and artificial intelligence until it appeared in front of them, nor how dramatically these technologies would reshape their lives. Similarly, while standing in the wreckage of betrayal, it’s nearly impossible to imagine the fulfilling relationship waiting beyond your current pain. Still, have faith that it lies out there in the future.
‘“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” ― Steve Jobs
Economic progress advances inevitably. Broken hearts always heal. Cheaters always get their karma. You’re hurt, but not catastrophically so. You’re just clearing space for something better. Trust the process. The best is yet to come.
Leave a Reply