Just Short of the Goal

There's a story of a man panning for gold. He desperately searched for months and months, seeking every place his heart took him. He was determined to find his fortune and persevered, spending a great amount of time with each dig. His excitement skyrocketed each time he began in a different area with a fresh new start. Time after time he dug, almost tasting the gold. He knew it was out there somewhere and that he would find it!

But one day, however, his pep began to lessen and his mind began to spiral in a negative, downhill, direction. He began to think that maybe he was kidding himself. Maybe he was wasting his time, seeing no results from all his hard work. Was this all for nothing? He was so sure before that he would reach his goal and find his fortune. But now, his enthusiasm was deteriorating and his mind began processing the "what ifs."

Although frustrated, he continued digging, feeling less and less confident that his dream would transpire. Until the day came when he simply gave up. He looked around where he stood, with no hope of finding the gold that he had been searching, for what seemed to be an eternity. Bowing his head in disappointment and failure, he trudged away feeling as though he'd wasted so much time and effort on something he truly believed in.

Little did he know that where he was standing, just a shovel away, was enough gold underground to fill his storehouses for the rest of his life. His goal that he had strived for all these months was just a step away! Sadly, he would never know how close he came to his success.

Have your ideas of success taken you beyond what you thought you were capable of? Has your excitement about the possibility of becoming wealthy driven you beyond past accomplishments to a whole new place of likelihood? Have you felt in your heart and soul that your hard work would truly someday pay off? Have you imagined, taking a glimpse into your future, of what life could really be like?

Keep plugging away! The best is yet to come. Keep a determined mind, fathom the possibilities as being obtainable and keep your eyes on the prize! You may be only a shovel away from your destination, and one step away from your goal!