The Other Side

Even when the obstacles seem insurmountable

And the path ahead just fades and disappears

Keep moving, searching, seeking,

Have faith He will provide

A way to overcome your growing fears.

Though the way becomes quite narrow and you fear a mighty fall

Step forward with your eyes upon the prize;

Let one foot lead the other,

Don't look down but, trust in Him

And one day you will find to your surprise

You have reached the other side.

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." -- Philippians 4:13

Pushing Forward

Sometimes determination is the only thing that keeps you moving forward.  It is something that happens in the mind -- a decision -- that no matter the obstacle, you will continue.  It isn't always rational.  It may be that the thing we are bent on accomplishing is of little or, no consequence and when we have completed the task there is no value in the chore, but only in the fact we drove ourselves to do it.

That is my thought this morning as I write.  I don't know that what is said here makes a difference to anyone, or anything, but it is something I have set for myself to do each day.  Some days, like this one, I struggle to find a subject about which to share but, there are other days when the words seem to flow easily.

I think that in every task we face, there is often a point at which we must make the decision to push on, no matter how we "feel" and no matter how much success we have experienced in what we are doing.  It is something that I faced almost daily in jobs that involved selling a product or service.  After several rejections, the next call can sometimes seem pointless.  I had to remind myself that it was a "numbers game" in which only a percentage of contacts would result in a sale, therefore, it wasn't about facing rejection again, it was about finding that small percentage who would say yes to my offering.

I suspect my writing is the same in that there are times when my words resonate with the reader and have a positive impact and there are times when they are simply words on a page.  I have to remind myself why I am writing -- I write to hone my craft.

Whatever it is that you do, always remind yourself of the reasons that you do it and push ahead; push through the obstacles and the days when it seems pointless.  Determine to continue forward no matter how you feel or, how others respond to your efforts.  Do it for your own growth.  Do it because whether you know it or, not, you have been called to do it at this point in your life.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other and find joy in what you do.

That Tiny, Narrow Line

Though the path is clearly shown,

Fear,

The Great Paralyzer,

Sends trembling through our soul

And we turn our back

To the promised land,

Complaining

That those who have entered in

Did so

By means unworthy,

And we sit with those who with us

Turned

From Opportunity

Which like a shining light is ever there,

To point the blame

To others fault,

Bemoaning

Their achievement as we sit

In judgement

Of what they have done.

Opportunity is something that is ever before us.  The trouble with opportunity is that it often requires us to take chances -- to get so completely out of our comfort zone that we turn away in fear that we will fail.  So many times I have been in groups that talk badly about those whose achievements are clearly a result of their willingness to take the risk and go for the prize waiting ahead.  They have a  tendency to blame anyone but themselves and face their unwillingness to accept the risk and "go for it."  That's when I move on.  I want to spend time with those who have taken a chance and now live their dreams.  Often I find that the difference between the successful and the "complainer" is that tiny, narrow line which one stepped over and from which the other turned in fear.

Thinking Toward Progress

To sit and think
Is sometimes a luxury.
We hurry and rush
From one task to another
Without thinking about
What we are doing or why.

But I've found through the years
That a moment of silence
Reflecting on tasks I must do
Helps me to order
My work for the day
So my efforts will multiply.

It allows me to focus
On what is important
Rather than merely reacting
To whatever crisis
Rears its ugly head
As I go through the course of a day.

So instead of being pulled
Hither and yon
Jumping to the whims of others
I stay on the tasks
That are aimed at my goals
And progress along the way.

Choices

Alone with my thoughts
I think of the day
And the choices made
Along the way.

Some I know
Were the right ones to make
While other results
Some time will take.

So many choices
Result in mistake
But I can't let the past
Cause me to hesitate.

I just keep on choosing
As at the moment seems right
While keeping my goals
Plainly in sight.

Success can be measured
By results good and bad
That come from the making
Of choices we had.

Success Through Perseverance

It has been said that success is the progressive realization of a worthwhile goal or dream. I love that definition because it says so much in few words. So, because I love it for its brevity, I'm going to expand it (that doesn't make much sense).

Progressive realization. Success takes time. It comes in incremental steps with each step bringing one closer to the prize. It doesn't happen all at once. It is realized little by little.

Worthwhile. What you are striving to accomplish must be good, wholesome. You can be the best thief in the world and yet not be successful because what you are good at is not worthwhile. It must be something that contributes positively to the world. It must be of value to society in general.

Goal or dream. Goals are intermediate steps in achieving a dream. A goal is a point on the journey. The dream is the end of the journey.

We are successful each time we achieve even the tiniest goal that takes us one step closer to our dream. Many people measure success in money. If your dream is to be a millionaire, each dollar gained in true Net Worth is success because it is one step closer to achieving your dream. As long as you are making progress you are successful -- even if you never reach your dream.

Most people give up at some point along the way. If they don't reach that huge dream that they have set for themselves in a short period of time, they give up. They quit. They see themselves as a failure. I see this in salesmen on a frequent basis. They set lofty sales goals for themselves. If they fail to meet them, they give up. They start looking for another job. Only when they give up do they fail.

Perseverance is the key. Success is the result of perseverance. It happens incrementally. It takes time.

"Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you're bound to wake up somebody!" __ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Who I Am

Who I am is greater
Than the sum of what I've done.
Who I am is bigger
Than anything I know.
Who I am is greater
Than the sum of past successes.
Who I am is bigger
Than all of my failures.
Who I am is greater
Than my family's heritage.
Who I am is bigger
Than all my friends combined.

Who I am is someone
That is nothing on my own.
Who I am is someone
Because of God alone.

Pursuit

Pursue what you love
With all of your heart.
You must start
With one tiny step;
Place your focus
On what is ahead;
Put aside your dread
Of failure.
The end is gained
One goal at a time
When sometimes there isn't a rhyme
Or a reason to go on.
Because success is
The progressive realization --
The actualization --
Of your worthy dream.
It's all in the pursuit.