Image by Ray Shrewsberry
Narrated by Marie T. Russell.
Consider the difference between limitless living—living boldly, loving what we do and achieving our dreams—and limited living—being frustrated, marginally happy and unfulfilled. Why is it that some people are able to achieve huge successes while others drift from day to day?
How do some, despite extremely challenging circumstances, rise up to make a big impact or achieve great things and others, given the benefit of significant talent or opportunity, end up settling for so much less? What makes the difference?
Facing Challenges
Throughout the course of our lives, we will all face a multitude of challenges. We will struggle with self-doubt. We will experience career and even personal failures. During these times, it’s important to know that we’re not alone and that others have been in similar situations and have still found their way to create a great life and successful career they love.
How do I know this? Because my own life has followed a similar path. I’ve experienced my share of failures along with successes, and I’m excited to share the lessons and principles I’ve learned along the way.
It was during my own times of failure and disappointment that I first began to study what made other people successful in work and life, and, over time, I found nine common themes almost universally present in extraordinary people. I first captured them as a list to guide my own actions on my personal journey. I later placed the list on my kids’ bathroom mirror to be a constant reminder to them. I even laminated it and titled it “Traits of a Champion” with the hope it would inspire them to always strive for their best and never give up, even when they fail. All four of my kids have grown up seeing these nine traits every day when they get up and before they go to bed.
Eventually, I began sharing the list with others: first at a conference and then at subsequent speaking events and talks with my team and other young adults. Finding and learning to integrate these traits into my daily activities has not only helped change the trajectory of my own life—I’ve also seen it do the same for others.
Potential, Planning, and Intentionality
Every one of us has the potential to serve the world in our own unique way. No matter the situation, the frustrations or the difficulties we’ve faced, it’s possible to overcome and pursue our dreams. It is our choice. It is up to us. We don’t have to just live from one day to the next. We can control our destiny and can progress toward creating the life we envision.
It is never too early or too late to start. It takes some careful planning and intentionality, but a proactive, consistent approach will ultimately lead us to where we hope to be.
The Key to Success
When I first read these words by President Theodore Roosevelt, I was captivated. It’s my favorite quote of all time and has been a constant reminder for me.
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 up 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 know neither victory nor defeat.
—THEODORE ROOSEVELT
The key to success in work and life is more than arriving in the world with our specific talents and abilities and expecting things to just work out—it’s about actually getting into the arena and doing the work. It’s about standing up and fighting hard, every day, for what we hope to achieve. It’s about struggling and failing. And then getting back up, again and again.
This journey of ups and downs, of wins and losses, is typical of what virtually every successful person has experienced. There are no overnight success stories. In researching successful individuals, I have learned that there’s no substitute for hard work and that even the most successful people in the world struggle with self-doubt. We all face fatigue, discouragement and disappointment along the way. Every one of us has our own journey and learning curve.
Whether you’re just finishing school and ready to attack the world or are mid-career and looking for inspiration or to make a change, my hope is that these nine steps can become the foundational building blocks to inspire you to cast your own vision, follow your own dreams and do the work to create your one extraordinary life.
The Nine Steps
1. Win the Battle in Your Head
2. Find and Follow a Passion
3. Dream Big . . . Then Make It Bigger!
4. Find a Champion
5. Take the First Steps
6. Fail Often
7. Be Courageous
8. Never, Ever Give Up
9. Live
(Editor's Note: Each of the nine steps are expanded upon in the book: Limitless: Nine Steps to Launch Your One Extraordinary Life.)
©2020 by Peter Ruppert. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted with permission of the author.
Publisher : Credo House Publishers
Article Source
Limitless: Nine Steps to Launch Your One Extraordinary Life
by Peter G. Ruppert
This book was written for those, young and old, who simply don’t want to settle for the status quo or for “good enough” and have dreams they want to chase, not give up on. Based on research of accomplished people and his own personal experiences of successes and failures, Peter G. Ruppert provides a step-by-step guide to help readers positively impact the trajectory of their own future.
Filled with real life examples for each step, extra learning resources to dig deeper, and a workbook style recap after each chapter, Peter Ruppert provides a simple yet powerful program so readers can launch their own limitless life.
For more info and/or to order this book, click here. Also available as an Audiobook and a Kindle edition.
About The Author
Peter Ruppert is founder and CEO of i-Education Group, which operates over 75 Fusion and Futures Academies for grades 6-12 in one student, one teacher classroom environments. A 20-year veteran of the education industry, he’s opened over 100 schools and acquired more than 25 others. He’s been president and CEO of organizations in the private school, charter school, and early education industries, and sat on his local public school board for 5 years.
Learn more at https://peteruppert.com/
