Weather the storm and Reap the Rewards
I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! I sure did. I went to upstate New York, relaxed, played some tennis, got some sun, and went out to a few night spots in the Syracuse area. I was pretty tired from the travel but I really enjoyed it and I feel refreshed.
You may have noticed how I mentioned an employment opportunity that was re-presenting itself in an earlier post. I’m happy to say that I have now accepted the job and will start next week. Many of my other ventures are also looking up as I learn, apply, and refine my approach to doing things. I feel very optimistic and invigorated to push myself towards more success in all areas of my life. I still intend to post to my blog and work on my other ventures as often as possible, so I don’t see this job as a roadblock to my passion but only as an enhancement. In not so many words, things are going really well for me right now. Prosperity appears to be flowing in from all directions.
I couldn’t have said that last month. I was going through a rough patch in all areas of my life, especially my wealth area. I’ve gotten to where I am right now by persevering through the rough times. I’m sure if you’re reading this you can relate. One of the best pieces of advice my father gave me (I might even say it was the best) when I was having a bad day or stretch was this: “No matter how bad today is, just get through it and go at it again tomorrow. It will all be better tomorrow.” No matter how much of his advice I may have dumped in favor of my own methods and ways of doing things, I have always come back to this one. Its truth and power are universal. I know how many of you are probably saying “Well what if tomorrow isn’t better? What if tomorrow is worse than today?” This is the part where you repeat that line and keep going.
I have had some awful periods in my life. I’ve had some times where things were down right painful and nasty sometimes. I’ve had bouts of illness, family problems, poverty, relationship troubles, and all kinds of other bad times where I just didn’t know what road life was leading me down. Following this advice and repeating that line to myself (even when I didn’t want to say it or even believe it) has gotten me through my troubles time and again. Not only that but once out the other side of my trials and tribulations, I noticed that my outlook seemed to be better and brighter than ever before.
This is the cycle that life throws you. You will have some good days and some bad days. You’ll have to accept both. An important thing to remember is to appreciate the good days and stay optimistic during the bad. You also have to stay hungry and focused on what you want during both. Don’t get lazy during prosperous times and discouraged during a drought. This is an easy road to nowhere.
There is a pain period that comes any time you are trying to achieve a lofty goal. It’s the pain that comes with disappointment, failure, setbacks, losing, rejection, and anything that puts you behind the curve on your way to the top. We all know how it feels to lose the big game, be rejected by the opposite sex, get hit with an unexpected expense, or get sick at exactly the wrong time. These are examples of the pain period. Life could not seem worse at these moments. How you handle these pain periods in your life determines the rewards that life will give you in return.
Are you the type of person who coasts through these times discouraged, down on yourself, and not making a conscious effort to fight your way back out and back onto the road you choose? If so then the answer on how to improve your life lies in that very question.
An example from my life is easily the way things have been for me these past few months. Money has been low and doubt has been high. I actually handled it pretty weakly the first month or so. After some low and lower points, I started to get motivated and dream about some of my goals again. I started imagining how happy it would make me to do the things I want to do, to pursue the projects I want to make a reality in my life. I became determined to pursue my goals and dreams during this time, no matter how hard things were. This blog was born of that passion, as was a renewed drive to go after some of my other internet ventures that I had lost focus on. I am still going through the pain period for these now. But I have seen even the smallest signs of growth already and that is encouraging me to push forward with more fire and determination than ever. I have big dreams and lofty aspirations for this blog and every thing else I am pursuing right now and that is what drives me to learn and get better EVERY day of my life.
This is a small example, but one that you can easily look at and relate to. What is plaguing you in your life? Health, Wealth, or Relationships? Personal Development? Have you set a goal and it seems like you are walking through quicksand to get to it? This is common. This is where the power of persistence comes in. I titled this article the way I did because it is a very accurate metaphor.
Imagine yourself in a boat on a long journey. You are making your way through what seems to be a vast and almost endless ocean. A huge storm sets in with no sign of letting up. Your boat is rocking and being beat about like an afterthought. You may even capsize a few times. You may lose the boat. What will you do to complete your journey?
I can tell you what 99% of everybody on this planet does. They give up. They turn back, or even worse; they drown. It’s the 1% who toughs it out, who will flip the boat over and get back in, or even swim through that ocean if they have to, who see all the rewards in this world. They make it through the storm and see how sunny it is on the other side and realize that things weren’t that bad to start with and, had they just given up and not fought through it they would not have made it to their destination. This gives them all the courage and motivation they ever need to continue to fight through these storms time and again for the rest of their lives, daring the storm to keep someone who will not be denied from their destination.
Some points to remember as you approach the storms in your life:
1. Remember that it’s always sunnier on the other side. Things can seem very difficult and they are, but don’t get discouraged. Do anything and everything to stay motivated during these times. Surround yourself with SUCCESS and let your drive and persistence handle the rest.
2. Once you’re in the clear, don’t get complacent and think that it’s over. You can’t rest on your laurels. You just handled a challenge in your life, overcame it, and now you are reaping the rewards. Enjoy this time briefly, but don’t lose your focus to keep on going. This is a time to celebrate, but not a time to settle.
3. Once you are the king or queen of your mountain, plant your flag and do what you must to STAY there. The only thing harder than getting to the top is staying at the top. If you don’t have people gunning for your #1 spot, then sometimes you might even sabotage yourself. Remember all those obstacles you’ve cleared to get to where you’re at. Appreciate what you’ve learned from those times and let that pain drive you to succeed and accomplish even more.
4. When things start to go bad, remind yourself that it’s just a cycle. This is LIFE. There are predictable and repeatable patterns to it always. It doesn’t matter how much technology is developed or how much things change. It doesn’t matter if you have money, are in great shape physically, and have tons of great friends. You will have cycles of prosperity followed by cycles of challenges and/or obstacles. This is the way things always have been and always will be. The good news is that if you approach your challenges correctly, then the cycles of prosperity can grow immensely each time you overcome the tough spots.
When all else fails, go back to the best piece of advice my father ever gave me: “No matter how bad today is, just get through it and go at it again tomorrow. It will all be better tomorrow.”
Be the captain of the ship that is your life, weather your personal storms, and make it to that tropical paradise on the other side. I’ll see you there.
Clark
