You’ve seen those infomercials. The ones that make elaborate claims like:
“You too can make money in real estate and be a mogul like me! Buy our 30-day course and we’ll make you an instant millionaire.”
Maybe you’ve even bought a book that promised to change your life overnight, or attended a seminar to learn the latest investment tips to become financially independent in no time.
Both late-night TV and local bookstores are filled with the latest and greatest “get rich” opportunities that are guaranteed to succeed. The solution is always the same: Follow these simple, easy steps and watch your bank account grow with little effort.
Thus, happiness is achieved.
The Path to Happiness
The leaps from get-rich-quick to success to happiness are there, although they are implied, for the most part. They are nestled in between the lines of stories that have little relevance to your power—which is the power to define what it is you want.
Get-rich-quick narratives distract us from this. We are then left only to adopt someone else’s goal and perhaps quit halfway to achieving it. Obstacles are only as insurmountable as your goal—your want—is weak.
Unfortunately, these narratives rarely tell us that success is seldom easy. The fact is that we will have to face challenges and obstacles in order to achieve most goals. They forget to mention that unexpected circumstances are inevitable, and more importantly that how we accept, deny, or capitalize on these circumstances is entirely up to us—and will ultimately determine our success or failure. It’s through these moments of uncertainty that our character is revealed.
For many, the first sign of difficulties can be enough for them to become discouraged and stop doing what they intended, while others find the determination to discover another way to prevail. Rather than giving up, they look for the opportunity within the challenge—and it’s there, always.
Finding the Opportunity Within the Challenge
Some opportunities are buried deep within the challenge. Others are easy to find. The extent to which we’re able to slow down, breathe, and adopt perspective is the extent to which we’re able to find the opportunity within the challenge. We’re then in a much better position to overcome any challenge and achieve whatever it is we want to achieve.
Make no mistake—adopting perspective in the face of challenge is not easy. This in itself is the challenge.
We can agree that we all want happiness and prosperity in our lives, and also know that . . . Happiness takes discipline.
Maintaining Discipline and Not Giving Up
Once we have a clearly defined goal, we must maintain discipline to find the opportunities within the challenges we’ll face along the way. This is when we make strides in what we call self-development.
Think about it. It’s easy to be happy-go-lucky and make great decisions when everything is going our way. The question is, how do we respond when a challenge comes? It’s at this precise moment that who we are as people is revealed to the world, and to us.
When we quit, we automatically fail—meaning simply that we do not achieve a goal. Yet, when we accept the challenge, we’re able to clearly understand the reason(s) for the challenge, find the opportunity, and continue on a different path. How we handle temporary setbacks will ultimately determine our outcome.
What Focus Are You Feeding?
Remember this: whether it’s a weed in the garden, a dream, desire—or even fear—what we feed and focus attention on will eventually grow the most. The same applies to opportunity. What we focus on is what we see. When one seeks the good, good things happen. When one seeks opportunity, opportunities occur. Seizing opportunities within challenges exposes a character of strength, resolve, patience and, yes, stickability.
It’s been suggested that personal achievement eventually comes from focusing on our major definite purpose (some call it passion) and then from the courage and stickability to see that vision through.
©2013, 2015 by The Napoleon Hill Foundation.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin,
a member of Penguin Group (USA). www.us.PenguinGroup.com.
Article Source
Stickability: The Power of Perseverance
by Greg S Reid.
Click here for more info and/or to order this book.
About the Author
Greg S. Reid is a filmmaker, motivational speaker, and bestselling author. He is also an entrepreneur and the CEO of several successful corporations, and has dedicated his life to helping others achieve the ultimate fulfillment of finding and living a life of purpose. Visit his website at: http://bookgreg.com/
