Tag: effort

Helen Keller said, “I cannot do everything but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something I can do.” Helen Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. Most notably she was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Throughout her life she campaigned for women’s suffrage, labor rights, and other related causes. The fact that she was able to achieve so much under what many would say are impossible circumstances is a true testament to her tenacity and fortitude. She saw what she could accomplish and then accomplished it. Sometimes seeing everything can actually hinder our vision.

Everything worth accomplishing requires hard work and dedication. Some people inherit wealth, but that does not guarantee productivity. When you have to work hard for something it causes you to appreciate the accomplishment and the process that much more. When you dedicate yourself to a singular purpose, your focus is intensified and the likelihood of fulfilling that purpose is improved.

The worst thing to do is work hard for the wrong goal or to be fully dedicated to a bad plan. Without vision, hard work and dedication are aimless. There are two ways to fail in life. You could have no vision to begin with or fail to carry out the vision God gave you. Either way the result is the same – long days but no fruit.

Psalm 5:2-3 says, “Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” If we don’t seek God for a clear and unique vision we are left to our own finite thoughts and ideas. While that may be comforting for some, I’d urge everyone to get the vision for how to implement their purpose on Earth from the source of that purpose. Proverbs 19:21 reads, “There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.” What are you building? Will it stand? Have you carried out the vision that God gave you?

CATCH THE VISION

Most of us aren’t as gifted as Helen Keller. It is likely that if you or I went blind for just a few minutes we’d think the world was ending. This is because many of us need to see where we are going in order to get where we need to be. Therefore, having a clear vision of the goal you are seeking to accomplish is a must. Before you start the business, can you envision it? Do you see the store or the office space? How will you provide great customer service? What does the product look like? If you have the vision to start a non-profit can you picture what it will look like 10 years from now? If you fully catch the vision it must extend beyond tomorrow and hopefully beyond your lifetime. Ask yourself, do I see the full picture?

CARRY THE VISION

In American Football, the quarterback will often hand the ball off to the running back. Once he’s running he may get hit by the opposing team and fumble the ball. Some of us had the ball (vision) for a while but then we fumbled it due to fear, peer pressure, complacency, or a lack of integrity. Coaches will advise a running back (especially one that is prone to fumbling) to carry a football wherever they go so that they grow accustomed to holding and protecting it. Once you know the vision you have for the problem you wish to solve, you have to carry that vision wherever you go. You must be prepared to take advantage of an opportunity that could aid you in completing your assignment. Most of us, unlike Helen Keller are able to see and hear. How much more should we be able to do something instead of failing to do anything?

COMPLETE THE VISION

The fulfillment of your purpose will be marked in part by you emptying yourself of what God has placed inside of you. I heard Dr. Myles Munroe say, “Don’t die because you’re old. Die because you’re empty.” This is a profound statement and if everyone on Earth applied this concept, the results too would be profound. However, too many people die with a wish-list or a ‘would’ve’ list or a ‘if I had more time’ list. Proper planning and a clear vision will prevent you and I from becoming one of those people. Former CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch, said, “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.”