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We enjoy reading their stories; stories of great men and women who against all odds not only found success but became legendary in the process. Many of us soon conclude that such amazing feats are reserved for these few chosen few but our own life will forever be mundane and insignificant.
Such thinking is a trap! Avoid this at all cost as it serves no benefit but to poison your mind preventing you from maximizing your potential. I have often wondered what makes some men great. In my opinion, the common ingredients appear to be twofold: belief and unwavering determination.
Have you ever had a moment when you felt deep within your core an unshakable confidence? That is the essence of belief. It is when you know you are doing right with every fiber of your being. It’s what propelled a man like George Washington to continue on despite devastating loses. It is historical fact that he lost almost every battle save one…the one that won the war. Through it all, he stayed the course dismissing critics and traitors alike. And like most men of greatness luck played a role. But luck is nothing more than the manifestation of faith. It took a rare fog to save his army from complete annihilation in New York. That fog arrived precisely when he needed it. It was as if his will created the very thing that could save him. Can such really be possible?
In business, self made men that created out of nothing thriving companies that employed thousands and bettered the lives of millions did not happen in an instant. Men such as Andrew Carnige that risked everything he had both mentally and monetarily on an idea, helped to physically create the very nation we enjoy today.
The examples are exhaustive but the theme remains true. Faith, belief, confidence, name it what you will, but it is incredibly important. This power is in you as well as it is every man. Your challenge is foster it. If you think this is too cliche, you’re getting closer to your problem. Too often today, our modern world has sapped us of our faith. We want instant gratification or we quit. We are unwilling to toil for years and reach the brink of failure only to wrestle success from its insidious grasp. This is after all what a winner would do. Equipped with incredible belief, they fight until they have no more fight to give.
Perhaps you are businessman struggling in a tough economy and money is running low. How does a pep talk help you? Well, I live in reality and I have learned that your spirit can remain strong by choice even as your financial state contracts. Your will might have to fill in where dollars are scarce. Whether you are presenting a better way to sell office supplies against fierce competition, or inventing a life saving medical device, the journey is often the same. Success requires that we be willing to skate the line of failure. It is the walk through fire that earns you the right to claim victory. Some may achieve instant success but these cases are not the norm. One sure fire way to become discouraged is to expect immediate success. Instead, focus on the end result and only the desired end result.
One of the greatest inventors of all time, Thomas Edison, tried over 6,000 times before he found the right filament to burn inside what would become the light bulb. With it the world changed too. How many of us would be persistent enough to do this? By the 20th, 60th, or even 10th time, how many would have quit and given up on a dream not knowing how close they were to its realization? The answer is those willing to be ordinary would have. I have simpler aspirations but they require no less dedication. Armed with a cardscan and a few other office machines I am steadfast in my approach. I want to sell millions of smead file folders through my company. I want to challenge the big box supply stores in my industry because I believe I have a better way. Setbacks will happen but staying true to the course is a must. You have opportunities within your field as well.
As a kid we are told we can do or be anything we want. The early stages of dissatisfaction can be found right here. As such, I do not subscribe to this mentality but instead keep at least one foot in reality. I do however believe that there is greatness in all of us. The hard part is finding it nurturing it and confidently and doggedly pursuing it. When your inner greatness is discovered, opportunities and luck will suddenly appear where they could not be found before.
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