Do You Have What It Takes To Be Successful!
Do You Have The Willpower to Overcome?
Whatever you want in life, you can have! That's not an advertisement pitch or gimmick. That's the truth. What you want, you have the ability to make it happen. If it's money, you can make a ton of it. If it's fame, you can make that happen as well. Whatever it is, you name it, and it is yours for the taking. However, life has a natural checkpoint that guards the path to your desires, and it’s called testing.
Life has a natural built-in system that weeds out the people who are well deserving of their desires versus those just making a lofty goal without any intention or plan to execute it. The test of life will be that determining factor.
Let’s look at the money example from above. If you want to make a ton of money, life will test your will to see if you are really committed to this. Life will test to see if you’re willing to arrive early to work and be the last to leave. Life will see if you are willing to live on a strict budget in order to get out of debt. Life will take note to see whether you are living within your means.
Life will sometimes even throw curveballs in at times. You will find yourself getting a promotion at work or an additional income. While that is awesome, life is closely watching to see if you forfeit your desire to become wealthy by spending money unnecessarily. With the "extra" money you have, life will determine if you're serious about success or not.
Your will to achieve something determines how far you go. Ask most celebrities that had to work for what they have today. Most of them will tell you that they had many setbacks and denials. However, they kept believing in their dream and persevered. One of my all-time favorite success stories is Inky Johnson.
Inky would tell his story like this:
“He grew up in a one-bedroom home with 14 people. He would often sleep on the floor with roaches and rats. His uncles would be in and out of prison on a regular. However, he quickly caught the dream of going to the NFL so he will never have to live as he did again. When his mother would come and pick him up from working her shift at Wendy's, he would ask her to stay in her car while he did just a few more sprints and backpedal drills with the purpose of making it to the NFL so his mother would haven’t to work another day in her life. Despite multiple injuries in High school, he was still determined to make it to the NFL. He worked so hard that he got offered a full scholarship to the University of Tennessee when he played football. He was ten games away from being drafted into the NFL when he, unfortunately, ended his football career in a tackle with a wide receiver. Despite receiving the horrible diagnosis, Inky would always ask his doctors, 'when can I play football again.'"
Despite his circumstance, Inky was determined to pursue his will. Although he is not playing in the NFL, he still travels around the US speaking to NFL teams as a motivational speaker. Although his path to the NFL was altered slightly, his will remained the same.
Growing up, my mom would always remind me when I was faced with opportunities or decisions that your discipline (will) will determine your future. Those words still hold true today. Here’s a more personal example. I have developed the skill of writing and have a natural gift for it. This realization sparked the idea in me to create a blog. However, over time, it can become discouraging to see that what I expected isn't manifesting in the real world. I expected to have hundreds, if not thousands, of readers. I expected countless subscribers. However, that is not my reality right now. I am going through my test of life to see if I will be granted access to success because of my determination and diligence.
Jesus even understood this principle when he was talking with his disciple, Peter. He said in Luke 22:31-32, “Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I [Jesus] have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
Jesus is saying that the truth remains that satan, the ruler of this world, is wanting to take you out. But I pray you are diligent, steadfast, and anchored in me so that you will not be destroyed by the test and attacks he tries to send your way.
