Get Past the Past

We all have things in our past but we can’t let our past stop our future.  If you want to go forward, then keep looking forward.  If you want to stay in the past, keep looking at the past.  It may seem too simple but you will go where you keep your eyes focused the most.  There have been plenty of times in my life when I have let my past limit me.  The shame of the past has tied up my dreams and held them hostage.  I then fell into the “you’re not good enough” syndrome.  But like T.D Jakes once said “It doesn’t matter how you started but how you finish.”  The truth be told, everyone has a past!! No one walking this earth lives without a past or they wouldn’t have a right now.  With that being said, let the past go and aim for the future because you are not alone. 

What do you want to achieve?  Who do you want to be?  God did not put you here to get stuck because of your past.  He allowed your past to be learning tools for your future.  Any storm you have faced or will face, I guarantee God can use.  And yes, there will be more storms in your life!!  But go into every storm knowing there is somewhere God wants you to be or some lesson God wants you to learn, and He is using the storm to speed up the process.  Life is full of lessons, the question is “Are we learning the lessons?”  If you have something in your past that you are ashamed of, first admit to yourself that you did it.  Second, go to a mirror and look yourself directly in the eyeball and say “I’m sorry.”  Now, tell yourself “It’s time to move on and YOU WILL achieve everything that your heart places in your path.”  Goals are meant to be accomplished, not things that wind up on an “I wish I would have” list.  Get out of your own way and push forward leaving your past in the past.

I’m Not the Best But I’m Good Enough

I have learned that just because you aren’t the best at something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it.  There are plenty of singers out there that aren’t the best singers but they have the courage to try.  If being the most qualified was most important, I should not be where I am in life.  When I graduated from college, I had far from the highest grade point average in my class (probably one of the lowest).  And by no means was I the smartest in my field.  With that being said, I should not have the job I have, be an author or have the experiences I have had.  I am not saying you shouldn’t try your best in school, but I am saying just because you didn’t do well in school doesn’t mean you will be a failure in life.  There is a verse in the bible I live by. “The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, the stronger warrior doesn’t always win the battle… the most skillful don’t always make the most money and the most educated aren’t always the most successful.” (Ecclesiastes 9:1)   This inspires me every time I recite it!! (I’m getting inspired now!!)  It gives me the strength to try even if I am not the best at something.  I have seen God send oceans of mercy and grace my way through this journey.

 I once heard Dr. Kim W. Brown say he may not have made the best grades in college but he did graduate.  (Did you notice the “Dr.” at the beginning of his name?)  Think about how many people went to college with you, but didn’t finish.  It is a blessing to finish even if you didn’t make the best grades.  You finished!! Finishing opens doors that most likely wouldn’t be opened if you didn’t try and endure the course ahead.  I am a stronger believer in trying.  You never know what awaits you at the end of the yellow brick road.  Don’t worry about not being the most qualified.  Just because you aren’t the most qualified, your courage may get that great paying job you’re scared to apply for.  Think of how many other people feel that they aren’t qualified, but you can be the one bold enough to take the leap of faith and put in your application.  If you are starting a new business, a new ministry or planning that trip you have always wanted to go on, go for it!!  You may not be the best but you are good enough.  Why not take a deep breath and TRY!!

Cracks and Foot Holes

When you look up the definition of “climb”, it means to go upward using your feet and hands.  It’s amazing a mountain climber has to use all of his resources to climb a mountain.  He uses his feet, his hands and even his sight.  So why do we think we only need knowledge to reach our goals!! If we are climbing to achieve goals in our life, shouldn’t we use all our resources to reach those goals?  Yes it takes intelligence but it also takes other resources. To climb the mountain of your dreams, it will take courage, relationships, wisdom, faith, hope, confidence, optimism, endurance, passion and many other things.  John Maxwell has a book entitled “Talent is Never Enough” and the title alone is so true.  He discusses how a person can have great talent but still not achieving his goals.  He explains how it takes things like being on time and a good attitude.  If you are a reader, this is a good book to add to your library.  I always thought if I had enough money I could start a business and be successful.  Well I have learned it takes more than money.  Matter of fact, money is the least of what it takes.  You have to have a vision accompanied by the drive to go after the vision and the endurance to complete the vision.  You have to have the courage to believe in your own opinion when others disagree.

 If there is something you want to go after, don’t think you aren’t smart enough or you don’t have enough money.  It will take more than that to be successful in what you are pursuing.  Instead, use the resources you do have!!  Use your creativity, your relationships, your ability to learn and your ability to sell.  I know you are wondering where “sell” came from.  But yes, your ability to sell!!  You have to be able to sell your idea to yourself before you can sell it to anyone else.  If you aren’t convinced, you won’t be able to convince anyone else.  So you are a salesperson!!  Use your resources just like climbers do knowing that it take more than just one thing.  By doing this, you will climb your mountain of dreams one crack and foot hole at a time all the way to the top.

Reusable Experiences

I have had experiences in my life that I have been ashamed of.  Since things didn’t go as planned, I felt like I should keep the experience to myself and hide it.  Now I understand that all experiences can work for your benefit.  I mentioned in my book, Life is a Motivational Speech, that “There are no mistakes in life only lessons.”  I have learned that the same things that you are ashamed of could empower you. In 2010, I had a business renting office space that was not financial successful.  When I closed the business, I partly felt like a failure.  But as I began to reflect on the business, I realized the business had stretched me!!  I had a lot of new experiences, learned new wisdom and met new people along the way.  The business didn’t do well financially but it was one of the most successful businesses I have had in terms of wisdom.  I learned so much!!  I learned that a good business is based on relationships.  Networking with other people and businesses will help your business.  I learned not to put so much money out at the beginning, but getting the business started first and gaining some revenue is most important.  I also learned that helping other organizations and businesses will help your business. 

I know you are wondering “if you learned all of this, why didn’t the business prosper?”  By the time I realized this new found wisdom, the company didn’t have any more money.  I spent most of the money on appearance and paying a high lease.  Toward the end of the business, I had changed directions in which the business was going but didn’t have the finances to support the new direction.  And it was a good direction!! I could have gone for broke and took out a loan, but at that point I felt like I had enough experience to apply the wisdom to another business venture. 

If you are in the process of closing your business, don’t think of it as a failure.  First, it took COURAGE to chase the dream in the first place and that courage is what keeps entrepreneurs going.  Second, you have gained wisdom that you would not have gained if you didn’t TRY.  My prayer each day is “God make me wiser when I go to sleep tonight than I was when I woke up this morning.”  Reuse your experiences and gain new wisdom.  More valuable than money is wisdom because wisdom can give you the power to get money and more.  Keep pursuing your dreams and learn wisdom from all your experiences.       

Changing Courses and Changing Books

I have had people in and out of my life through this journey. But one thing I have learned is your friends will change as the stages of your life change. I see people as books!! When you were in school, your books changed as your courses changed. You needed a math book for your math course and a literature book for your literature course. The same is with the courses of your life. The people in your life change depending on the course of your life you are in. You will have your college friends from the college course of your life and you will have friends for your adult (out your mother's house with a job) course of your life. You may have partied until the break of dawn with your friends when you were in college. But when you have to go to a full-time job in the morning, partying to the break of dawn may not be an option if you want to do well in your job/business and advance in it.

The people from the college course in life may feel like you have changed and you can't party like you use to. And you have changed!! You grew up and got started in your career or started taking your business seriously. A lesson I learned is to always look at the "source" of the criticism being made to you. It may be from someone who has not changed since college and has no dreams or goals. Don't look now, your course has changed and you need new books!! You have to acquire new friends (books) who have careers and businesses. These are the people you will learn from. These are the people that will challenge you and encourage you to go further. In order to grow and advance in life, you must be teachable. Be able to admit you don't know everything and are willing to learn. So take a second to tell yourself "You don't know everything!!" I know it was hard but you have opened yourself to being able to learn something new. As you grow and go through the courses of your life, more changes will occur and new books (people) will be required.