THE HARVEST PRINCIPLE

     My dear brothers and sisters, I know that so often the challenges and struggles of life can be draining; that disappointment and betrayal can make a glad heart sad, and that mustering the will to go on, to forgive, to continue dreaming sometime seem too difficult.

   Often, I have felt that way myself until seeing a young woman from Rwanda share her story of faith, hope and renewal while experiencing poignant betrayal and personal loss. This young woman recounted spending 91 days hidden in the walls of a bathroom with some 20 other women as killers hunted for them. Tearfully, this woman, a testament to personal strength, talked about climbing out of that wall, weighing only 68 pounds to find that all of her family had been killed during the massacre. Even still, she has forgiven those who betrayed her, held on to her faith, and has begun to rebuild her life. With that said, I am more certain than ever that no matter what we face our capacity to triumph is never ending; that navigating this journey we call life is a matter of attitude.

     Divinely, each of us has been blessed with both the potential and capacity to achieve our innermost dreams. No matter the challenges and disappointments that may come our way, always remember that you were born with special gifts and talents that are meant to be discovered, nurtured and shared with the world.

     As you navigate your pathway to achievement, your distinct destiny, let the “3P’s” guide you. The “3P’s” are defining; vital ingredients that will help you to not only carve out your path to success, but also give immeasurable meaning to your life.

   The first “P” is purpose.  What is purpose?  Purpose is intent, goals, a target or a personal aim. Purpose is identifying exactly what you seek to achieve and then developing a plan to make it happen. Finding your purpose is discovering how you will use your skills and abilities to bring fulfillment to yourself and others.

   Next, you need to couple this sense of purpose with passion. Passion is the energy and motivation you display in an effort to accomplish your goal. When you take a look at people who have achieved their dreams, the common element is that they worked tirelessly to make it happen. Whatever your goal, you must be willing to give it your all. For in the end, the word passion is pass- I- on, that is, demonstrating your unique spirit of excellence through your effort and works. Passion is exhibiting your enthusiasm, your commitment to accomplishing a goal.

   As you journey to success, inevitable challenges will provide you with a steady dose of life lessons that will no doubt contribute to your growth and development.  This is where the third “P,” persistence comes into play. If you are to live your dreams, a sense of determination; a resolve to face and overcome your temporary obstacles and setbacks; and a willingness to persist until you prevail is the attitude you must take.

    Never forget that much of what we achieve in life is linked to what we believe we deserve. Realize that the only person that can stop you from achieving your goals is YOU.  This is a truism that people of all ages must come to realize. Youth must be taught this and adults must model this behavior for the next generations. For without fail, when brought together, purpose, passion and persistence always lead to astonishing achievement.

    Uncovering your true purpose in life, working to accomplish your dreams, using your talents doing work that you enjoy, helping and encouraging others, and enjoying healthy relationships are the ingredients to a satisfying life. These are indeed the treasures of life.

    There is a pathway, an open door to personal achievement, if only we seek it. There is a process which can lead each of us to provision, so we must understand that through spiritual obedience what we seek is within our reach. It is so easy to allow yourself to get caught up in the melee of the moment. It is so easy to lose sight of things that you really want, and to give up on your dreams before you even attempt to pursue them. Unless you actively seek to answer the callings of your spirit, you will feel a restlessness; a thirst that you cannot quench. Choosing to live a life dominated by “settling” will only lead to a feeling of spiritual bankruptcy.

   Ask yourself daily, what kind of seeds am I sowing? What am I seriously doing to pursue my dreams and improve the quality of my life?  Let the harvest principles and faith guide you on your destiny journey, for if you do not tend your own garden, you will indeed suffer from want.

Law Number One – You Reap Only If You Sow

In this life, you do not get something for nothing; you must put out effort to achieve your dreams. You have to try one step at a time, day by day. If you do very little, very little will come your way. In this life, we indeed reap what we sow.

Law Number Two – You Will Reap What You Sow

In this life, you get what you give. If you sow seeds of pessimism, negativity and ill will that is what you will receive in return. The words that we speak and the actions that we take return to us in the same fashion. So sow goodness and walk well. Your life depends upon it.

Law Number Three – You Will Always Reap More Than You Sow

In this life, the effort that we make, the steps that we take are multiplied by the Creator. We always get back much more than what we begin with. Fill yourself with optimism daily as you pursue life goals and your calling. For this, your personal rewards will be great, and your talents will multiply.

Law Number Four – You Always Reap After You Sow

In this life, all of the benefits, joy and success that you seek will come after you have taken the time and demonstrated to the Creator that what you speak is genuinely what you aspire to achieve. Just as the harvest comes after the seeds are sown, and joy cometh after the storm, once you plant your dream seeds in fertile ground, your abundance will come.

     Always stay focused on your dreams and not the temporary challenges that come your way. Why? Because all you have to do is to persist, for what you seek is waiting for your arrival.

    Remember potential without perseverance is pointless. Know that what you believe is what you take action to achieve, and what you see is certainly what you can be. Indeed, success is inside all of us, but it is up to the individual to unleash it.

 

 

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It’s Half-Time…are you choosing to be a gamechanger or a gamewatcher?

No matter your favorite sport, basketball, football, cricket or World Cup soccer, we are all familiar with half-time. Half-time is much more than entertaining moments and game highlights; half-time can ultimately serve to reveal the sheer grit and determination of one team compared to another.

   After two hard fought quarters, half-time allows teams the opportunity to regroup, revise an unworkable strategy, and reinvigorate a sagging spirit in order to get back into the thick of the game. All of us have witnessed a team who at half-time appeared certain to lose the game, only to watch the team make a miraculous comeback on a march to ultimate victory. We sit and watch in awe witnessing the execution of a team strategy that combines actionable approaches and an appreciation of time; in most cases every precious second left on the clock.

     Six months have now passed and half of 2012 is already gone.  Today us the fourth of June, and we all now have 210 days, 5040 hours, 302,400 minutes and 18,144,000 seconds remaining in our 2012 game. My question to you, as well as to myself, is what we are going to do with our time. Will we maximize it and intentionally make something happen, or will we just go with the flow…freely letting opportunities wane.     

     Each and every one of us should be reflecting and evaluating our personal balance sheets, comparing our list of goals with levels of achievement. This is your half-time and now is a perfect time to determine if you need to make some adjustments in your game plan or perhaps you need an entirely new strategy.

    If you set some specific goals for yourself this year, have you taken a moment to determine just how far you have progressed on your pathway to personal success and ultimate gratification? Or have you simply given up taking a ”there is always next year” or the “dat-a-do” (that will do) attitude?

   Success, no matter your personal definition, depends upon the nurturing of self-confidence and self-love daily, squashing even the smallest hint of self-doubt whenever and wherever it appears. When we allow self-doubt and fear to dominate us, our potential is stymied and our true gifts and talents are not allowed to soar.

   When we let self-doubt and fear rule our lives, we miss opportunities. We incorrectly predict and believe that nothing good will happen to us, so we don’t try anything new, and refuse to take even low-level risks. This spirit of defeat leads us to discount people or situations that could help us reach our goals. While self-doubt and fear can come in different forms and from different sources, we can all learn how to break through them by holding on tightly to faith and hope, fueled by persistent action. When our dreams are ignited by purpose and personal passion, the forces of good will divinely open up the floodgates of success on our behalf.

    It is never too late to refocus on your goals because your divine success is entirely up to you. No one and nothing can block your blessings; for you see it awaits our discovery, but far too many of us give up on the game if we drop the ball just once, or make an unsuccessful play. Wrong game strategy my friends. The only things that can halt your progress and ultimately keep you from winning are you and your attitude. Review you play book and uncover what it is going to take for you to live your dreams. Be willing to commit the time and energy necessary to score your goals in the game of life, knowing that ultimately you will win and accomplish your every aspiration.

   Unleash the stronghold that past failures may have on your spirit, and replace it with an action strategy specifically designed to unlock your gateway to opportunity.

      When you finish reading this, consider you half-time over my global success and greatness seekers; you are a game changer, so put down those binoculars and stop merely watching the game; decide to fully commit and get back in the game. You were destined to WIN, didn’t you already know. And if you didn’t, I just told you, so get your game on!! Be in it to win it!

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