SUCCESS TAKES COURAGE

Few of the enemies of success are stronger and more common than fear.  Fear can make us hold back when we should move forward.  Fear makes us hide in safe places rather than to step out and take risks.  Fear steals our dreams, crushes our hopes and can turn would be adventurers into cowards.  Yet, fear can also be conquered.  The Vietnamese clergyman, Thich Nhat Hanh said, "Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones."

                Success-minded people will tell you that fear is unreal and that they know the lie of it, however, they still face its battles from time to time.  Here is the thing to always remember, the victory over fear is not in denying it is there, but rather recognizing it and moving forward anyway. As with all positive mindsets, victory is not based on denial of reality but on the acceptance, that there is always an answer to every challenge life holds.

"You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

- Christopher Columbus

(1451-1506)

Explorer

                If you are going to achieve your dreams you must accept that there will be things you must do that will scare you.  Why?  Because you do not and cannot know the outcome.  A risk is a risk because there is the possibility that it will not work out.  When you launch out into an area that you have never been before it is like stepping into a dark room and not knowing if there is a floor once you cross the doorway.  It is an act of faith to move toward success.  As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

                Don't feel bad or ashamed that you face fear from time to time on your journey to achievement.  There will be many dark corners and times you will lose sight of safety.  The key is to keep moving anyway.  The object is not to eliminate fear but to not allow fear to eliminate you.  It takes courage to achieve your dream, and courage is not the absents of fear only the victory over it.

You can learn more about Personal Development from author and speaker, John Patrick Hickey.  To get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com. Be sure to sign up for the free membership and get even more tools to help you achieve your dreams.  

© 2018 John Patrick Hickey. No part of this may be reprinted or published without permission of the author.