Our Step Into the Arena
All too often when we come up against obstacles in whatever it is that we are trying to achieve, its easy to begin to listen to the doubters in our lives (and in our own minds!). At this time, it becomes even more essential to stay focused, persistent, and guard against dispersion of our mental faculties. It would do us well to remember that failure sets in when A.) we have allowed it to enter into our thoughts and B.) when we've quit trying to move forward with our goals.
Yes, we look at others and some cast a jealous eye of what someone else has; that being (most likely), success or having something that we want for ourselves. But what do we know of what it cost that other person that very thing that we want? Do we know the price of their sacrifice?
Probably not; however, temporary setbacks (not failure) leave our pride smarting and we are apt to believe that our ambitions, our hopes, our dreams for something better were all for nothing. Are we dreamers here at WA like Icarus, who dreamed too much and soared too high by daring to to touch the sun, and then plummet back to some mundane earth-bound reality? Could it be that some of us are born to kiss the sweet fruit of success and others are not?
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Napoleon Hill made a life-long study of why some people are successful and others are not, had arrived at the only logical conclusion in all of the cases and interviews that he'd studied. But more about that in a moment.
As a matter of fact, he made a compelling argument that those who were started out with a 'few strikes against them' actually had a leg up on the competition, because their ambitions (desires) still burned hotly in the midst of temporary setbacks.
So, what was his answer as to why some succeeded and others failed? Answer: persistence
The trials and tribulations that we face in whatever it is that we are attempting to accomplish are there for a reason: to teach us to learn, to grow, to struggle (yes, mightily at times) so that the fullness of our faith would be brought into season.
Consider a farmer plants a crop, and does he/she harvest it in a day? Nooooo.. That crop takes the better part of two seasons at least (and those are just summer crops, let alone forestry/nurseries/etc) before harvest time. It is the same thing in business.
I call to your recollection, some notable names in history who would have been failures if THEY QUIT ahead of time. None of these below-listed people were 'pedigreed' or 'destined for success'. NONE had 'money. Some were even actually difficult to work along side with! But ALL had one trait in common: tenacity to meet their desires (ambitions).
-Andrew Carnegie: factory worker and elevator operator. Set out to make the most affordable high-quality steel. At the end of his life, he sold his steel mills for $300 million--anyone care to index that for today's dollar value? ;)
-Henry Ford: Farmer; no college degree and had been bankrupted several times. Set out to "belt the world" with motor cars. How many of us have/had a Ford?
-Abraham Lincoln: Bare-fisted boxing referee (Honest, Abe!) and train railsplitter (and hated it): was a failure at almost everything he'd put his hand to...until the 1860 election.
-Michael Jordan: talentless in his game as a high-school underclassmen. Practiced all day everyday over the off-season, many times until after dark fall. The next season, he came back as a junior; vastly improved. Annnnnd the rest is history...
-King David: promised by God through the high priest that he would be the next king of Israel, who did not tell him that he would have to spend 14-20 of his life in the desert, honing his leadership skills. While running for his life from the 'other' king (Saul) and local un-friendlies. It should be noted that God promised that David would be king, but the words 'rose garden' appear no where in the text...
-Dwight D. Eisenhower: a no-name officer who had been passed up for promotion on so many different occasions over so many years and was nearing retirement. Who knew that at the advent of WWII that he'd become a Five Star General in meteoric time to lead the largest (modern) invasion force in Europe?
I could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. However, I just will sum this post up with Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena Speech". I think that sums it up very well.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
Keep trying, even if it looks like you've failed, because that is exactly when you know success is near...
--R.A.
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Fantastic post - I'll refer people back to this who feel challenged and a bit lost with all the learning.
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Thank you for this really great post! I've had naysayers in the past, but I am now going to follow my dreams no matter what they've said. I am enjoying what I'm learning and building and absolutely love it, so even if I'm not "financially" successful yet, I am "happy" doing what I love!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the follow!