Life Will Pay Whatever Price You Demand of It! The one thing I can tell you with great certainty is...
On the Other Side of Fear
On the Other Side of Fear
As a behavioral and performance specialist, I make it a point to study and observe those I consider at the top of their game — especially those who rose from meager beginnings. I have studied entrepreneurs, investors, athletes, actors, parents, and more. One person that I have spent a lot of time observing and listening to is Will Smith. Because I experienced my teen years during the 1980s, my first memory of Will Smith is as the Fresh Prince alongside D.J. Jazzy Jeff. So, you can say that I have had the pleasure of observing Will evolve into the icon “living” (pun intended) that he has become. I once heard Will say that he believes God placed everything in this life worth having on the other side of fear, and I agree with him. I would take it one step further. I believe God placed every worthy experience and accomplishment on the other side of fear, pain, disappointment, frustration, delay, and dark things that tend to paralyze people. This paralyzed state is one of the leading causes of procrastination. If you want to experience all that life has for you, you must be willing to endure the process that always precedes the promise.Get Outside of Your Comfort Zone
We live in a society that places great emphasis on comfort. People don’t like change because change is uncomfortable; however, change is an absolute requisite for growth. We tend to go out of our way to circumvent the difficulty and struggle that is part of the process of growth that leads to greatness. The truth is that you will not begin to experience the extraordinary and phenomenal things that life has in store for you until your back is against the wall and you are forced to fight forward.
Look around you, and you will see a culture that is built to retreat at the first sign of trouble. People shun any sign of challenge and resistance. What is funny to me is the fact that no matter how much you attempt to avoid pain, struggle, difficulty, and problems, they inevitably find you. You cannot circumvent the vicissitudes of life; they will eventually stroll into your paradise. What you can do is be prepared for them. What you can do is engage them head-on. You can develop a mindset of no surrender, no retreat. You see, character and integrity cannot be developed within the confines of comfort. The development of character requires resistance and challenge. It requires that your back be pushed up against the wall. If you never develop character and integrity, you will never push through the difficult moments to experience the awesomeness on the other side of fear and pain. Let those hard times motivate you to push harder, fight harder, and stand firmer. Make up in your mind that you will not bow down to the challenge in front of you. Become committed to your vision and dreams. You can dream all you want, and you will never realize those dreams until you become fully committed to them. When you are fully committed to your vision, you will not be deterred by hardships, delays, disappointment, or frustration. When you become committed to your vision, you will only be satisfied by the sweet taste of victory and accomplishment. Your commitment will cause you to lose tolerance for excuses and substandard performances.
Become a Part of the One Percent that Win Consistently
With over seven billion people on this planet, it is estimated that the top one percent controls the vast amount of wealth and power. This reality can be observed on a micro-level in almost any social setting. So, what about this one percent makes them so unique? Were they born with something that everyone else was not? No. It is simple. The one percent of highly successful people in this world are simply willing to do the things that the other 99 percent of the people are not willing to do.
It is incredible that 99 percent of the people in this world absolutely refuse to do what it takes to fulfill their dreams. Let’s be clear about this. Your dreams are assigned to you. The responsibility of bringing your vision and dreams to fruition is yours and yours alone. Yes, you will connect with people who play integral roles in your success, but their input will be in response to your own commitment to your goals. It is not until you commit and take action that providence moves on your behalf. It is not until you accept the challenge of stepping out of your comfort zone that the universe begins to conspire with you to bring your dreams into the realm of reality.