Reinventing Yourself

Are you unhappy with who you have become? Do you feel stuck in a rut and want to change? Do you believe it is possible to change, or have you bought into the lie that you and who you are and there is nothing you can do about it? If you answered yes to any of these questions then this blog is for you!

It is possible to change the way you are. While change takes time, effort, and may be difficult it is possible. You can become the person you have always wanted to be. You can be happy. You can be fulfilled. You can be successful.

The Bible is clear that it is possible to experience positive change. God has given us His word and His spirit in order that we can experience lasting change.

The word “repent” means to have a change of mind, a change of heart, a change of attitude, resulting in a change of actions, and a change of direction, and a change of results. Repentance is not a one-time event in the life of a Christian. It is an ongoing daily process.

According to psychologist William James “a man can change his life by changing his attitude.” This is simply another way of saying what the Apostle Paul told the Roman church, “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:1).

The word “transformation” comes from the Greek word “metamorpheo” from which we get the English word “metamorphosis”. A “metamorphosis” is a total change or “reinventing” of ones self. The common example of this is the change that happens when a caterpillar spins a cacoon and then emerges as a beautiful butterfly. Now that’s transformation!

The following principles will aid you in reinventing yourself:

Choose to change.
While this may sound elementary, you will never change until you make the decision to. Make the quality decision that from this day forward you will begin to be the person you have always dreamed of being. A quality decision is one from which you will not turn away. It is a decision of commitment to change.

Change the way you think.
To reinvent yourself you must change your thought processes. As Zig Zigler says, you must get rid of “stinkin thinkin!” They way you think determines how you act, and how you act determines what you get. Let go of the negative thoughts that have been holding you back. Replace them with the positive things God has to say about you in His word. Determine to think high thoughts. Thoughts of victory and success.

Change your talk.

Get rid of all the negative self-talk. Quit saying what you can’t do and start declaring what you can and will do. Quit putting yourself down. Start believing in yourself, you ideas, and your abilities. Say with the Apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”

Discover your divine design.
Understanding your purpose in life is essential to reinventing yourself. You can’t be the person you were meant to be if you don’t know why you are here in the first place. You are not an accident. God has a plan for your life. Here are five questions that will help you discover your divine design:

• What are your natural gifts and talents?
• What excites or stirs you, what is your passion?
• What are your dreams and aspirations?
• What type of personality traits do you possess?
• What are your leadership skills? (Are you a manager, a doer or a visionary?)

The answers to these questions will help you discover your life mission. God will never call you to do something that He hasn’t created you to do. Your life purpose is what gives you direction, responsibility and meaning to life.

The me I see.

I heard Robert Schuller speak on the subject “The me I see is the me I’ll be.” I have never forgotten the message in the title alone. You will never rise above the person you see yourself to be. By changing your thinking, your self-talk, and discovering your divine design, you will begin to see yourself the way God sees you. Begin today to see yourself organized, attractive, diligent, reliable, happy and successful. It is a true statement, “if you can conceive it, you can achieve it!” Solomon wrote, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)

Be yourself.
So many people live frustrated, directionless and meaningless lives because they are trying to be someone they aren’t. By trying to be the person someone else wants you to be you short-circuit being the person God made you to be. Don’t allow yourself to be molded by the opinions of others. Refuse to let others try to live their lives through you. You are born an original, don’t die a copy. Your value is in your individuality. It is not in your similarities to others.

Where are you going?
What is it that you have always dreamed of accomplishing in life? In order to reinvent yourself you must have a vision of where you are going and what you intend to accomplish. Highly successful people are goal setters. A Goal is a vision or a dream with a deadline on it. It is something to aim at. As Denis Waitly says, “If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?” Set goals that are in line with your life mission, not someone else’s!

Associate with people you desire to be like.

Your associations have much to do with your success in life. Many times it is imperative that some relationships be severed. Paul the Apostle said, “Evil communications (associations) corrupt good manners.” (I Corinthians 15:33) put an end to relationships that are a negative influence, that belittle you, that drain you of your time and energy.

On the other hand, begin to associate with people that are likeminded as you. Choose to associate with positive, honest, faith-filled people that will inspire you to greatness. Solomon also wrote, “Iron sharpeneth iron.” In other words, you become like the people you associate with. Make the decision to develop relationships with people that are successful in your field of endeavor. Run with winners!

Commit to lasting change.
Reinventing yourself won’t happen overnight. However, it will happen if you stick with it. Personal development, or personal growth, is simply the process if becoming the person you were made to be. To accomplish this you must commit to it. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted, discouraged or defeated.

Ask God to help you.
Prayer gets God involved in your life. Seek Him for guidance, strength, and the ability to change. Believe when you pray that he will not only hear you, but also that you will receive what you are asking for. Jesus said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

The road to becoming a “new you” may be long and difficult at times, but if you will stick with it you will make it. As a result, you will become a person of productivity and accomplishment.

Turning Negatives Into Positives

High achievers have the ability to turn negative situations into positive ones. They have the knack when given a lemon to make lemonade. Regardless of how difficult the circumstances are they are able to turn them into stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks.

Life is filled with negatives. They cannot be escaped. Everyone goes through difficulties from time to time. However, those who refuse to be defeated by adversity are the ones that enjoy success in life.

Robert Schuller says, “Tough times never last but tough people do.” A friend of mine says, “When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping!” Being tough, in this sense of the word, means not giving up or stopping short of what you are striving to accomplish.

The following suggestions will give you some ideas for turning negatives into positives.

Expect the best.
You get what you expect. This is true both in the positive and the negative. Jesus said, “As your faith is so be it unto you.” Quit expecting the worse. Don’t borrow trouble. Determine to look for and anticipate the best.

Get a different perspective.
Sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees. At times you have to step away from the problem and look at it from a different angle. Ask others close to you what they see. Get their input as to what to do about the current condition. Taking a break from the situation can give you a whole new outlook.

Ask questions.
When writing a story a good investigative reporter always asks Who? What? Why? Where? When? and How? Asking these same questions about your situation gives you great insight not only into the problem you are faced with, but also into what caused it, and how to turn it around.

Failure isn’t final.
It is one thing to fail it is another to see yourself as a failure. Failure is not an event it is an attitude. Just because you have blown it doesn’t mean you’re finished. By not giving up or losing heart you are able to turn your negatives into a positive. I like to look at my times of failure as learning experiences. Every time I try something and fail I have simply discovered something that didn't work. I am constatly seeking to find ways to improve what I am doing. Babe Ruth was the strike out king of baseball. But he never quit swinging. His failure isn't final attitude led him to become the home run king of baseball. So you've failed. Big deal! Get up and keep trying. Success is just around the corner!

Change the way you speak.
According to Solomon, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Your words have power. People that talk failure, struggle and negative situations all the time, experience exactly what they are speaking. Much of what happens to people is the result of self-fulfilling prophecies. Choose to begin to speak positively about your situation. Begin to declare what can be not what can’t be. Jesus taught, “A good man out of the good treasures of his heart brings forth that which is good. An evil man out of the evil treasures of his heart brings forth that which is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” What you say has an impact on what you experience.

Keys to Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is a much-needed ingredient for personal success. It is an inner passion that drives a person forward. Personal motivation comes from enthusiasm. Being enthusiastic about your project inspires others to become involved in what you're doing.

The ability to become, and stay enthused about a given project, vision, or idea, energizes a person. It causes a person to be motivated to action. It is a proven fact that people who are enthusiastic about what they are doing get more done. They are more productive because they enjoy what they are doing.

Being enthusiastic does not mean that you won't face difficult times. The fact is, regardless of what you are doing or desiring to do, you will face obstacles and adversity. Enthusiasm keeps you going in tough times.

The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek roots " en" and "theos" and means "God within." It is a fire, a passion within. Real enthusiasm is not something you "put on" and "take off" to fit the occasion. It is a way of life.

The following seven keys will help you be more enthusiastic.

Have a clear vision of where you are going and what you want to accomplish.

It is impossible to become or stay motivated without a vision. King Solomon wrote, "Without a vision, the people perish." Enthusiastic people are those who know where they are going and how they are going to get there.

Be totally committed to your vision.

Commitment to your vision is essential to enthusiasm. Many people fail in life, not because they don't have a vision, but because they are not committed to it. Robert Schuller says, "Irrevocable commitments that offer no loopholes, no bail-out provisions, and no parachute clauses, will extract incredible productivity and performance.

Focus on the end result everyday.

Stephen Covey says that one of the habits no successful people is "they begin with the end insight." It is easy to become distracted by the everyday problems and obstacles of life. Losing focus of the end result will frustrate you can cause you to lose enthusiasm. When you see your enthusiasm starting to wane, refocus on what you want to accomplish and where you're going.

See it accomplished in your mind’s eye.

Train yourself to see the job finished, by faith, before it actually is. Visualize how things will be when the project is finished. Strong faith, belief that what you're doing will be successful, is vital to being enthusiastic.

Talk about it.

Verbalize your vision. Notice that enthusiastic people usually talk lower and faster than people whom aren't. Become animated and passionate about your vision.

Go on a crusade.
What is your mission in life? If you could accomplish anything in the world, what would it be? Now, determine to do it. MADD was born out of a tragedy. A mother whose child was killed by a drunk driver used the tragedy as a springboard to launch a crusade against drunk driving. Her enthusiasm has motivated thousands of others to become involved in putting a stop to drunk driving. Untold numbers of lives have been saved because of her enthusiasm.

Hang around other enthusiastic people.

Enthusiasm is contagious. It rubs off on the others. Hanging around excited people helps to ignite your passion. Get away from negative people. Start associating with people that are successful. Allow their enthusiasm to inspire you.

Obstacles to Success In Life

There are many obstacles on the road to success. You will enjoy progress if you become sidetracked or stopped by them. In order to be a great achiever you must learn to overcome the hindrances in your path. All great achievers have had to face and overcome many things on their way to success.

Perhaps one of the greatest illustrations of this in American history is that of Abraham Lincoln our sixteenth president. While he is known most of all for his war on slavery, had he not been a man of great resolve and persistence, history may have taken a different turn. From failing in business on numerous occasions to many failed campaigns for public office, he rose to become one of the greatest political leaders of all time. His rise to greatness was the result of his determination to overcome the obstacles in his path.

Obstacles:

Indecision. Not being able to make the necessary decisions can be a hindrance to your personal success. There may be many reasons for this. It could be fear, or a lack of the facts, or procrastination, that keeps you from making the right decisions. Realize that all of life is about the choices you make. There can be no success without you making the decision to do what it takes to win.

Past experiences. Perhaps nothing is more detrimental to forward progress then the memory of past failures. Before you can enjoy accomplishment you must get rid of the negative memories of past events that are holding you back. The Apostle Paul said, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before.” Never forget, the past is just that, past. You can’t do anything to change it. Learn from it and go forward.

The opinions of negative people. It is amazing how many so-called experts show up when you make the decision to follow the God-given vision for your life. They seem to come out of the woodwork. The majority of them have never accomplished a whole lot in their lives, however, they are laden with all kinds of information and advice as to what to do or not to do. For the most part they feel it is their responsibility to talk you out of what you feel you should do. To succeed you must not allow yourself to be swayed by the opinions of such people.

Delayed results. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Anything of value and lasting importance takes time to accomplish. Just because you start the journey to success today does not mean you will arrive at your destination tomorrow. Just because there may be a delay in seeing the fulfillment of your vision does not mean it won’t happen if you don’t quit.

Lack of focus. It is impossible to succeed if you have too many irons in the fire. You can’t go two directions at the same time. Many people are hindered in their efforts because they are double-minded. In other words, they lack focus. They are trying to do too much at one time. Refocus on your primary goals and obstacles. You will soon be back on the path to making positive progress.

Fear. Another great hindrance to success is fear. Denis Waitly says, “Fear is an acronym for False Education Appearing Real.” Fear comes in all shapes and sizes. From fear of failure to fear of success, many well-intentioned people never accomplish all they could because fear holds them back. Fear is simply negative faith. It is believing for the worst instead of the best. Fear is the actual belief that something bad is going to happen to you. Most fears come as the result of bad information or misunderstanding of what’s true. The more accurate information you have on a given subject the less fear you will have concerning it.

Distractions. Many get sidetracked because they allow things to distract them from their goals and objectives. A distraction is anything that takes your focus off of what you are trying to accomplish. They usually come in the form of being something extremely urgent. Many are caught up in what is known as the tyranny of the urgent. This happens when you become distracted by what is seemingly urgent and thereby fail to understand what is really important. To successfully achieve your goals you must “Keep the main thing (your goals) the main thing!”

Trying to fit in. Conformity can be a definite hindrance to progress. High achievers know the value of standing out rather then blending in. What sets you apart from others in your field? Many have failed because they are afraid to take a stand for what they believe in and what they want to accomplish. They allow peer pressure to force them into the conformity mode. “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity,” says Psychiatrist Rollo May.

No definite direction. You can’t get where you want to be without proper direction. It is impossible to hit a target you aren’t aiming at. Direction is found in setting and maintaining goals. Goals help you crystallize your thinking. They provide motivation. Staying on track is the result of definite direction.

Lack of people skills. No man is an island. If you are going to be successful you must be able to get along with, and work well with, other people. A lot of people fail not because they don’t have a good idea or good work ethics, but because they lack people skills.
Spend time developing your public relations. Learn to communicate, negotiate, compromise, and inspire others.

Right Thinking

Someone has rightly said, “If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” The way you think will either make or break you. It is a proven fact that you go in the direction of your most dominant thoughts.

The Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” People that think negative thoughts all the time have negative results. Conversely, people that think positive thoughts enjoy positive results.We are only as good as our mental diets.

There’s an old computer term known as GIGO, which means “Garbage in Garbage Out! What we take in through our reading, television watching, conversations with others and so on determines what we think. Choose today to rid your mind of the clutter that causes you to be negative and begin to take in only that which builds you up, informs you, and inspires you.

As Zig Zigler says, “If you have stinkin thinkin, it’s time for a check up from the neck up.” The person who does not control their thoughts will soon lose control of their actions. All actions are a result of thoughts. In order to have right actions which produce right results you must have right thoughts.

Choose today to be more positive. Work on getting rid of negative thought processes that have been stifling your progress. Be open to new ways of doing things. “Minds are like parachutes. They aren’t much good unless they are open.” Instead of giving up in your mind when facing a difficult situation, sit down and begin to think of ways to overcome it.

Building Strong Relationships

All of life is about people and how you relate to them. Relationships take time, sometimes a lot of time, to cultivate and develop. No man is an island. We all need one another to get ahead in life.

Your personal success in life depends on how well you relate to others. It is impossible to excel in life without building strong relationships. Although in many cases, hard work and much effort are required to build stronger and lasting relationships, it is worth it in the end.

The following seven keys will help you in developing your relationship building skills:

You need others

Relationships give you a sense of belonging. They cause you to feel needed and appreciated. Relationships also give you teammates to help you accomplish your objectives. When each person in a relationship does their part, they lighten one another’s load and insure the job gets done.

Develop your communication skills

Studies have proven that the primary reason for failure in relationships is a lack of communication. From marriages to business associations, breakdowns occur when one or all parties involved fail to communicate. Communication is much more than just speaking your mind. It involves many elements. In order to fully communicate you must work to listen, to understand, to get your point across, and to reinforce what is being communicated.


Know what is expected

Many relationships fail because the parties involved don't know what is expected of them. It is important that each person in a relationship understand his or her roles in the relationship. If you're uncertain, you should ask the others involved in a relationship what they expect of you. Don't be afraid to let others know what you expect of them.

Learn from your past experiences

Draw on your past relational experiences whether negative or positive. Determine not to make the same mistakes that proved to be detrimental in other relationships. Seek to treat others the way you want to be treated.

The role of personality

It is good to understand the role personality plays in relationships. Your personality goes a long way in determining how you relate to others. Great leaders are not only aware of their personality traits, but also of those that they are leading. Understanding what makes a person tick helps you to communicate, assist, and motivate others.

Conflict
Conflict in relationships is inevitable. No relationship is immune to conflict. Seek to find the causes of the conflict as well as the solutions to the conflict. Accept personal responsibility. Don't play the blame game. Do what is necessary to resolve conflict as soon as possible.

Compatibility

Many relationships fail because of a lack of compatibility. You must look for common ground in your relationships. Seek to discover your common interests. Here's a brief compatibility checklist. Do you have similar likes and dislikes? Do you have similar ideas, dreams, and objectives? Do you have similar values? Do you have similar beliefs? Do you come from a similar culture? If you answered no to any of these questions you may find that you are incompatible.

Attitude: The Key to Winning In Life

Your Attitude in life determines whether you win or lose. Simply defined, your attitude is your outlook on life. It is your point of view regarding the world that surrounds you. It is the way you look at circumstances and problems that you encounter in life.

A proper attitude is vital to success in all areas of life. Without a proper attitude you will be easily distracted, discouraged, disappointed and defeated.

Everyone has one. You can’t hide it. It stands out like a sore thumb or a black eye. Whether good or bad, glad or sad, positive or negative, your attitude is always showing. It is a state of mind the you always have control over.

Your attitude will:

• · Help or hinder you
• · Make or break you
• · Make friends or enemies
• · Make you uptight or at ease
• · Make you a success or a failure
• · Help you get better or get worse.

In order to have a better world to live in, your attitude needs to be evaluated. A better world does not depend on what’s happening around you, but rather what’s happening within you.

The Bible has much to say on the subject of attitude. Notice these verses.

Numbers 14:24 “But my servant Caleb, Because he had another spirit, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereto he went; and his seed shall possess it.”

Daniel 6:3 “Then Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king set him over the whole realm.”

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

The word “spirit” as used in these scriptures, in the Hebrew lanuage, means “seat or organ of mental acts.” In other words it is your attitude.

A person with a proper attitude almost always looks on the bright side of things. They are always able to see something positive even in a negative situation.

The key to a proper attitude is found in the renewing of the mind. The Apostle Paul teaches us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1,2.)

Renewing the mind is simply changing the way you think. In computer lingo, it is “reprogramming your mental computer.” To renew the mind is to determine that you are not going to think the same way you always have.

You are the only one that can control your thought life. Others may influence the way you think, but only you have the power to make that choice. You can train yourself to be positive instead of negative. To believe God has your best interests at heart. To believe that something good is going to come out of your bad situation.

Determine today to take your attention off of the negative reports of others and instead begin to focus on what God’s word says about your situation. Begin to think in line with the promises of God’s word. See yourself the way God sees you.

As you begin to think in line with God’s word, you will begin to notice a change in the way you look at life and the circumstances that surround you. That’s what the scripture means when it says you will be transformed by the renewing of your mind. When you think of transformation, think of the caterpillar that becomes a beautiful butterfly. Now that’s transformation!

The same thing happens to you as you change your attitude. Instead of being negative all the time, you begin to be positive. Instead of seeing yourself as a loser you will begin to see yourself as a winner through Jesus Christ. No more will “I can’t” be a part of your vocabulary, but rather you will say with the Apostle Paul, “”I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philipians 4:13).

As Zig Zigler so adequately says, “there are times we need a check up from the neck up!” It is time too get rid of all our “stinkin thinkin” and begin to have the attitude that god wants us to have.

Ephesians 4:24 declares, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” In other words change your attitude. At one time or another all of us must make adjustments in our attitudes. You probably need to change your attitude when:

• · You don’t have enough time for yourself
• · You don’t have enough time for God
• · Others tell you, you need too
• · Your relationships with others is strained
• · Your view of others begins to lower
• · Your view of life becomes cynical

Of the twelve spies that searched out the land of promise, only two, Joshua and Caleb, entered in. Why? Because they had the right attitude. Of all the people in leadership in Babylon, Daniel was promoted to second in command. Why? His attitude was excellent. Of all the kings that ruled over Israel, only David was known as a man after God’s own heart. Why? Because he knew how to accept the fact that at times he needed an attitude adjustment.

You can excel in life. You can be everything that God has created you to be. You can make an impact on those around you. All it takes is having a proper attitude. You see “Attitude Makes The Difference!”

Go For It

What is the burning desire of your heart? What is the one thing you would do if money weren’t the object? If you knew you could do something you always wanted to do and that it would be successful, what would you do? The answers to these questions reveal the true deep-seated God-given dreams for your life.

Now, let me ask you something else. What is holding you back? Why aren’t you actively pursuing the dream in your heart?

Great achievers are not those who just have great dreams, they are people that are determined to make them a reality. They aren’t content to have good ideas; they are focused on bringing them to pass. The difference between achievers and non-achievers is not the dreams or ideas, but what they do with them.

I saw a sign once that simply said, “Don’t just dream it, Do it!” There are millions of people with great ideas that never accomplish great things because they never go for it. As Denis Waitly says, “They live on someday I’ll.” Someday I’ll do great things. Someday I’ll start a business. Someday I’ll lose weight. Someday I’ll write a book and so it goes.

To have what you’ve never had, you have to do what you’ve never done. You can live your dreams and bring your ideas to fruition if you will simply begin to do something to make them happen.

How to go for it:

Make a list of your dreams and ideas. If you don’t have a concrete picture of what you want to accomplish chances are you never will. By making a list you not only understand what you want to do but also how to get started.

Start today. Procrastination keeps many from never achieving great things. Good intentions are not good enough. There must be positive action. Don’t put the journey to the fulfillment of your dreams off until tomorrow. Begin to live in the now. It’s what you do now that determines your tomorrow.

Let go of whatever is holding you back. Whatever is holding you back needs to be conquered if you are going to go for it. Face your fears, your insecurities and your excuses, defeat them and go on. Remember, every great achiever has had to face similar obstacles to their success.

Focus on the end result. As author Steven Covey so aptly says, “Begin with the end in mind.” Picture yourself having already accomplished your objectives in life. Get a mental picture of how things are going to be once you’ve gone for the dreams you posses. By staying focused on the end result it makes the effort worth it regardless of the how tough it may get.

Find a role model. Find someone from a similar background as yourself, that has accomplished their dream and model yourself after them. Talk to them. Ask them questions. Learn what they did to get where they are now. Allow them to coach you. Instead of learning from your own mistakes, learn from the successes and failures of others.

Believe in yourself and what you are doing. You can’t accomplish anything if you don’t believe you can. If you believe you can or believe you can’t you’re right. Believe in your talents, abilities, dreams, and potential. When everyone around you is telling you that you can’t do it refuse to listen to them. There will always be naysayers and dream stealers. Winners learn to ignore the negative input of others and believe in their objectives until they are realized.

Make up your mind to finish what you start. Don’t be a great starter. Be a great finisher. Be persistent. Quitters never win, and winners never quit. Don’t quit until you accomplish what you’ve started. A marathon runner doesn’t burst off the starting line to fast or he’ll burn out too soon. He steadily paces himself so he can endure the grueling race set before him. Even when he feels like quitting he refuses to do so until he crosses the finish line. Anyone can start, winners finish.

Believe in the God who believes in you. Realize that God is the source of the dream you have in your heart. He believes in your ability to realize that dream so much that He gave it to you in the first place. Not only does He give you the dream but the Bible says He gives you the power to accomplish it. The Apostle Paul penned these words. “For it is God who works in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” In other words, it is God who gives us the dream and the power to accomplish that dream. When you feel weak, allow His power in you to give you the strength you need to go for it!

How's Your Aim?

Denis Waitley says, “If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you going to know when you get there.” It is important to have a destination in mind when you leave on a trip or you may end up somewhere you don’t want to be.

Anytime I think about having the right aim in life. I am reminded of the hunter that told his friends he had killed a great buck at 1500 yards. His friends told him it was luck that he hit it. His reply has always stuck with me. He said, “It may have been luck that I hit it. But, it wasn’t luck that I was aiming at it!”

The fact is you can’t hit your target (goals) if you don’t have any or if you aren’t aimed at them. When Nasa sends a spacecraft into outer space they constantly have to make adjustments to the flight plan in order to get it to the destination they want it to go. In other words they have to keep adjusting their aim.

So it is with all of life. If you are going to hit your goals, fulfill your dreams, and live on purpose you must be careful to have the right aim. When you notice you are off line, take the time to refocus. Get your aim straightened out, and you will hit your target.

The Apostle Paul wrote these words, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13, 14) Several things come to mind when I read this passage.

One, you can’t go forward looking in the rear view mirror! You can’t undo anything in your past. If you are constantly focusing on past failures or mistakes you are sabotaging your present and your future. In order to go forward you must forget the past. Let it go. Someone once said, “Don’t look back unless that’s the direction you want to go!

Two, you’ve got to reach forward to what’s before you. You must become focused on going forward. Of making progress. Of accomplishing what you were created to accomplish. Focus on what is possible not what is impossible. There will always be naysayers and dream stealers that will try to tell you that you can’t do it. Ignore them. Keep reaching!

Three, if you are going to hit your target you have to put forth diligent effort. The word press means to bear down on, to push, to give it your all. Just like a runner in a race you have to strain yourself using all the energy you have to cross the finish line. Success always requires effort on your part. There is no such thing as a free lunch. The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

Four, without a goal to aim at you will wander through life never maximizing the potential inside you. Goals give us direction, focus, and a reason for getting up in the morning. They keep us on track. They help us to identify the distractions from our objectives and to ignore them.
Five, the prize or reward keeps us motivated to action. People work long hours because of the prize of a paycheck at the end of the week. Athletes put in long hours of training for the prize of winning the game or the championship trophy. When I was attempting to play professional golf I practice 6-8 hours per day to hone my skills and prepare myself for competition. The prize of not only the competition but also the tournament trophies (and potential payday) motivated me to spend the time necessary to do what it took to prepare.

Six, Paul said his prize was the upward call of God. God’s call to us is always an upward call. In other words it is a call to a higher level. It is rising to new levels of success, accomplishment, and productivity. Contrary to what a lot of people think, God desires for you to succeed in life. You were born to win in life. You were born with a purpose to fulfill. You were born to make a positive difference in the world around you. New levels of productivity and success afford you the ability to accomplish great things in the lives of others.

My challenge to you today is to check your aim. Do you have clear goals and objectives that you are presently working towards? Are you stretching your faith, your abilities, and your efforts? Are you being held back by past failures and mistakes? Are you putting forth diligent effort to reach your goals? Do you have a prize you are trying to attain? Do your goals lead you to a higher level and a better life?

Remember what I said earlier, “If you don’t know where you are going you may end up somewhere you don’t want to be!

You’re Not A Failure!

Motivational speaker and author Van Crouch says, “You’re not finished when you’re defeated, you’re finished when you quit.” Winners in life understand that failing is part of success. You can’t know victory if you don’t have a battle. There is nothing like the joy of something good happening for you like you do after you’ve experienced something negative.

The truth is “Bad things happen to good people.” Jesus once said, “In this world you shall have tribulation.” (John 16:33) In other words, you are going to have some bumps on the road to success. Things aren’t always going to be rosy. People that see themselves as winners simply pick themselves up after a setback and move on. If you have a dream, and you are actively pursuing it, you are going to fall short from time to time. It’s not what happens to you that is most important; it’s what happens in you!

Failure is not an event, it is an opinion. You are not a failure until you say you are. Every time you fail you simply learn how not to do something! We learn a lot from trial and error. Jay Leno, host of the Tonight Show, spends his Sunday evenings going to comedy clubs and practicing his jokes for upcoming monologues. Some go over well and some bomb. But he is not deterred. Just because a joke fails doesn’t mean he is a failure. He learns from his mistakes and continues to hone his craft. The result is success when he performs his monologue on a nightly basis.

Winners are not people that never get knocked down; they are people who refuse to stay down. There is something in the heart of a champion that won’t let them give up regardless of what they are going through. We’ve all witnessed it watching sporting events. Just when you think there is no way a team or an individual has a chance to win, they find a way to win anyways. They understand that they aren’t finished as long as they don’t quit. Failure is not in the falling down but in the giving up!

Two of my favorite people from history are Thomas Edison and Abraham Lincoln. It is reported that Thomas Edison did 10,000 experiments before he found a filament for the light bulb. Someone once said to him, “so you’ve failed 10,000 times.” His response, “No I found 10,000 things that didn’t work!” Abraham Lincoln failed at business and numerous forays into the political arena before he was elected the sixteenth President of the United States of America. He goes down as perhaps the greatest or at least one of the greatest Presidents of all time. The common denominator between both of these great men of history is they never viewed themselves as failures.

Here are some questions to ponder in your pursuit of accomplishment.

How do you see yourself?
Do you see yourself as a success or a failure? What do you do when what you are attempting doesn’t seem to be working?
Do you give up and quit?
Or do you get up and find a way to do it anyways?

My challenge to you today is that you begin to see yourself as the winner God says you are. Refuse to let setbacks hold you back from fulfilling your life purpose and accomplishing what you are capable of. Choose to use failures and setbacks as stepping stones to reaching your goals and enjoying a successful life! Say like the Apostle Paul of old, “I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13) You are not a failure!