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First Things First
As we embark on a new year we are must be willing to accept the challenges involved in what a new season of life brings. Quite often, as we lead into a new year, we all stand at a crossroad of some sort. It is at this location choices must be made in our life. The reality is, there are two initial options, 1.) continue down the path from the previous year, 2.) make viable changes to improve our life. These choices sometimes are made daily, whilst others are weekly, monthly, yearly. In some cases (and more often than we believe) there are many decisions made once in a lifetime. These my friend, are life altering choices we make which can lead to the upward momentum in life or a downward spiral (let’s address these a little later). Nevertheless, choices must be made in this life, from the smallest levels to the most complex. In order to make the correct choices along the road of life, we must adopt and develop a particular mindset to increase our chances of success. By no means does this infer we have always made the right decision, but there is an eternal truth of every choice in life having a consequence.
In order to make choices beneficial to one’s life and assist us in achieving success or at the very least to give us the best option for success, we must develop a mindset of Discipline. Before you think this is a cure all or a vaccine to failure, think again, Discipline is the difference between ultimate success and failure. However defeat will occur, loss will happen and when it does, don’t waste them. Don’t waste the pain, the hurt, the loss in your life… learn from it, live through it and walk accordingly to a mindset of discipline thriving afterwards!
Success in life, whether you want to improve your work ethic, lose ten pounds or increase your back squat requires three things as approached through discipline: a vision, plan and goals. Over the next several instalments we will break these down individually with aspirations of assisting you, as the reader, to achieve success in each choice made on the road of life.
Vision
Many years ago I opened a new year vision Sunday service with this statement, “A plan without a vision is merely a wish and a vision without a plan is only a dream…”. One common mistake I see made in life is when people desire change or strive to succeed, the first thing they do is sit down and design a plan. Whereas this is admirable, it is based upon a faulty foundation. Essentially this would be equivalent to building a structure beginning with the roof first. The bottomline we must have both, a vision and a plan.
We hear phrases thrown out when describing widely successful entrepreneurs as ‘visionaries’; however, they are never referred to as such in the midst of the process; because typically no one really understands what they are doing nor why they are doing it. The key to their success, is found in the fact they know what they are doing and why. Simply put, their plan for success is based upon their vision.
The vision typically has three major components, of which we will address each one over the next few instalments. These attributes are Passion, Preeminence and Peculiarity (rarity.)
Vision – Passion
Passion in this sense is more than just a superficial feeling. It is deep, almost inexplicable, and it is something people cannot take away. Passion can be developed, but quite often it is already there, lying underneath the layers of busy schedules and even the conditioned boredoms we experience each day through mindless moments of social media scrolling.
You may have a passion to start your own company, to rally the village, town or city together for a cause or improve your physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual health. It’s important to have the courage to pursue what is in your heart as long as it lines up with doing the right thing. Passion outside the lines of right and wrong is perversion (i.e. if you are passionate to be wealthy and decide to rob a bank or passionate about making it to the Crossfit games but cheat the reps and weight to do it or passionate about hitting a bench personal best but use steroids to do so…). Right will always be right and wrong will always be wrong no matter how many are doing or not doing them. Think about it.
So, step number one in having a vision is determine where your passion lies. Seek wise counsel and do not be afraid to take a risk. Avoid letting fear, criticism, or doubt cripple you from making a decision of passion. Even if the stakes are high and the naysayers loud, do not let it stop you from being committed to the journey of success in developing a mindset of discipline in order to reach success.
“Just because someone is the loudest person in the room doesn’t make what they are saying more important or even correct… follow your passion despite the noise.
MindsetU 