Only the Brave Succeed

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

- Christopher Columbus

(1451-1506) Explorer

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 security rather than to step out and take risks.  Fear steals our dreams, crushes our hopes and turns 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.

                If you are going to achieve your dreams you will have to 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 take courage to achieve your dream, and courage is not the absents of fear only the victory over it.

               

To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2015 John Patrick Hickey