Success is a word on everyone's mind today. What with major companies gone bust, foreclosures on every block, millions unemployed and the economy in the toilet, it is little wonder that people are looking for a bright spot. What does it take to achieve success in anything? What is standing in the way of success for you?
Dwelling in a World of Faith
It was Bishop E. Bernard Jordan who perhaps best answered the question, "What does it take to succeed?" He explains that the true secret to success lies in our ability to live between a world of facts and a world of faith.
Since we live in the world, we live in a vast ocean of facts. Some things are done, some are not done. Some things are possible, some are not. There is fact on the one hand and fiction on the other. Within the world of facts, only so much can be accomplished.
The other thing about living in a world of facts, that people find difficult to live with, is that society believes there is a set formula for everything. If you invest your money, you can watch the interest grow. If you go to college, you can get a high-paying job. If you spend enough years ruthlessly climbing the corporate ladder, you can find your way to the top-but you're going to have to sacrifice for it.
What is the maximum sacrifice you will make toward your success? If you were walking in a world of faith, you would know the question is not about sacrifice. It is about how to achieve success while simultaneously enjoying the things in life you most value. It is about the things in life that bear no price tag, like spending time with people you love and watching your children grow instead of dwelling between cement walls 12 hours a day surrounded by people, some of whom you don't know and some you really don't care to know.
When you live in the world of faith, the barrier between you and success lies in your imagination and faith in yourself that you can make your vision a reality.
Life is full of tough decisions," says Jordan. "Some people go through life pleased that the glass is half-full; others spend a lifetime lamenting that it's half-empty. The truth is there is a glass with a certain volume of liquid in it. From there, it's up to you! Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."
