Sure, You Can Make It!

Intelligence and money are not reasons to pull you down or to hinder you from achieving your goals.

 

Sure, learning is a process.

Sure, maturity is a choice.

Sure, life is a constant voyage.

Sure, each of us is given built-in skills that will enable us to be better and to better enjoy this good life.

Sure, we are the captain of our own lives.

We can become whoever we want to be. Truly, we are not given equal amount of talents, skills, and other gifts gifts; but surely, we are all given the same amount of time each day—24 hours. Whether too long or too short for you, we can’t do anything to adjust its length.

Time is equally given to each of us—rich-poor, young-old, girl-boy, literate-illiterate, good-bad. 24 houts a day; 525,600 minutes a year. Period.

Time is fixed. But the good news is, we can diminish or increase its value by how we make choices and how we act upon our choices.

Learning and maturity should be directly proportional to our time alive, our age. But we all know that a big chunk of humanity is not a reflection of it. I’m not discounting myself.

If we look around, we will see many people who have become skilled and empowered in their chosen fields, and  some in the places they found themselves. However, there are more people who are otherwise or who don’t enjoy the lives they are entitled to enjoy.

We sometimes catch ourselves quipping, “She’s brilliant. I wonder why she ended up like that,” or “He’s diligent, but it seems he toils today to feed himself today so he can work tomorrow.”

(Setting aside those people who are able to get what they want because they know how to manipulate people for their own advantage, or see things as “delegation” when in fact they know in themselves that they intentionally make others do things for them, or get to finish a requirement by doing 20% of the work…)

The legit achiever knows four basic things: diligence, focus, responsibility, and sharing. The self-made achiever is like a house built on a rock, strong storm or raging flood comes, it stands firm. Wherever you put him, whatever you ask of him, whenever you need him, he can deliver well.

I. Diligence

Being diligent doesn’t require exceptional IQ. What one needs is only common sense and initiative. Being diligent is being able to discern what an ordinary prudent man would do in a specific situation.  Diligence is also the ability to delay gratification and do some a-little-tightening-here-and-a-loosening-there.

A diligent person would ask himself what shall I do first; what is the most efficient and effective way in doing this; will I bypass or disrespect or hurt someone; what degree of care is appropriate.

More than being industrious, a diligent person thinks of the implications of his actions before he executes his action plan. He eats first the icing before the cake, I mean, he does first the things he doesn’t like most so he can enjoy the rest of the day doing the things he likes.

II. Focus

A purpose driven and dedicated person knows his goal and he presses on it every single day. He knows where he should end up. Whatever the weather is—stormy or sunny; whatever kind of road he is taking—bumpy or smooth—his mind, feelings, words, and actions are all oriented to his goal.

A focused person is not discouraged or demoralized by trials or failures. Instead, he is fueled by his challenges. For him, another trial means another platform for him to stand on so he could see things from a better vantage point. He sees failure just as a delay to his goal or sometimes a detour so he may take a better path towards it.

Being focused is being able to see clearly what you want and seeing it steadily through layers upon layers of distraction.

III. Responsibility

Acceptance of responsibility is being open to challenges, pain, heartbreaks, and other uncomfortable emotions associated with growing up, achieving, and victory. Responsible persons know that trials, challenges, or problems don’t go away unless you yourself work through them, or else they will remain a hindrance to your growth and victory.

Some people deny to themselves the problems they encounter; others acknowledge the problems but do nothing about it hoping the problems will just go away. But the responsible person acknowledges his problems, sits down and studies each problem for a reasonable time, make an action plan, and face the problem properly—right time, approach, and means—based on his evaluation of the situation.

A responsible person knows that when he avoids the legitimate suffering that results from dealing with problems, he also avoids the growth that problems demand from him (Peck).

Learning is the twin of responsibility. As in taking on responsibility for what one feels, for what one ought to do, for whatever situation one finds himself, one will always surely learn whether he fails or succeeds.

A responsible person's mentality is, "Either you win or you learn."

IV. Sharing

An empowered person shares what he learns. An empowered person is someone who becomes who he is because of what he has gone through in his life. He has a personal account to share about his journey from rags to riches, or from being a victim to being the philanthropist, or from being the last to being the first, or being the nothing to being the superstar.

Having a first hand experience of the essential polishing in life—from thinking of a dream to being diligent to pursue his dream and making it a goal; to being focused and dedicated to his goal; to taking on the responsibility for every circumstance that leads him his goal—an empowered person knows the feeling and thoughts of one who is also driven to legitimately achieve their goals, which enables him to empathize and believe in them.

A small mind will tell one that his dream ridiculously difficult and he will not achieve it because of he is poor or he is not intelligent or he is ugly or he because he is who he is. But an empowered person will encourage one to pursue his dream, pray, and work hard and that if others can do it, he too can do it and may even do things better.

Sharing is a mechanism that multiplies and scatters good things in life. Sharing is the system which makes giving away good things come back in better packages, better quality, and sometimes more in quantity. Simply put, sharing makes good things last from generation to generation.

Whatever our statuses in life are or wherever we are and whatever we want to achieve, it is possible to achieve our goals if we are willing to do our part and focus our energy and resources on the goal.

Intelligence and money are not reasons to pull you down or to hinder you from achieving your goals.

Everyday, within 24 hours, do something that contributes to achieving your goals. If you want to be a teachers, entrepreneur, priest, lawyer, doctor, or corporate executive…

Think like one.

Talk like one.

Act like one.

What you think of, speak of, read about, or do in a day will make a difference in the quality and essence of your 24 hours and 525,600 minutes.

Dream. Believe. Feel. Receive. Thank. Share.

…and thank God for the each brand new day He gives you to become better, do better, and become step closer to your goal.

One sure thing, you can make it if you believe and want it.

Never underestimate your capacity and never underestimate God's power.

Pray and work hard! You can make it, I know!

Best Answers Do Not Always Come in a “Yes”

Once we already have those best things in life—whether we prayed for them or not—we just know that there they are. The feeling of joy is unexplainable, the peace of heart and mind is indescribable, your gratitude to God is unfathomable… you just simply know inside your tickling heart that “I know that I know that this is it!” 

When I was a kid, I dreamt a lot of both good and really-that’s-good? kinds of dreams. I prayed for some and daydreamt about the others.

Most of the time we think that best answers are only gotten when God delivers right in front of us what we pray for.

I am sure many of our dreams and prayers when we were in kindergarten changed when we graduated in grade school, then changed again when we graduated in college, and perhaps some also changed before we graduated from college, and thereafter.

Imagine if God immediately gives us what we pray for, especially those that we pray for at the height of our emotions… If they happened, perhaps, many of us are forced to like and accept the lives we once dreamt of or the person we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with or the things and people we wanted to have.

We are so lucky our Father knows what is best for us and He is ever patient waiting for the perfect moment to bless us the best things we deserve. While we, on the other side of the paradise, are impatiently urging God to immediately give us what we want.

I am at peace and secure knowing that my God knows me so well and clearly sees my mind and heart. Now, I confidently and gratefully accept His utter “No” knowing that He has something far better for me; His “Silence” knowing that He has best reasons why He is igniting my passion and thirst as I patiently and persistently wait for what I pray for; and His “Yes” knowing it is already His best time—that I am already ready and deserving to truly enjoy His prime cooking.

It is not only God whom we should ask whenever we pray for what we want… we should also ask ourselves if we are already ready to receive and handle the things we ask for. When we already have the things we so long desired, we must be feeling that bone-tickling, breath-taking joy.

I thank God He doesn’t take seriously all my dreams and prayers when I was a kid—to be a nun, a doctor, laundrywoman, BBQ vendor, tricycle driver, construction worker, farmer, flight attendant, and a supermodel… or else, I wouldn’t be His apprentice in His Ministry of Justice right now.

I am glad I received many of my childhood dreams. Some I prayed for, others arrived by surprise.

Those that I prayed for were to pass my college entrance exam in the prestigious university to make my mom, who is a professor, to be proud not only for her students but also for her own child; to become a broadcast journalist (it was being a disc jockey and news anchor that was on my mind), then God made me experience being a DJ, voice talent, and radio announcer and to write for national dailies; to have an exciting work in a corporate world staying in the office half of the time and in the field the other half, then God faithfully answered my prayer with bonuses of rubbing elbow with both local and international celebs, business tycoons, high ranking officials in the national government, and with unsung and modern heroes, and travelling across the country and staying in swank hotels for free; et cetera.

Others I obtained without even imagining of ever having them in my life. Among my surprise gifts is mom’s grade school graduation gift to me—my first motorcycle! At an early age of 10, it was as if I won the lottery. I also became a chess and tennis varsity of our school, when in fact what I only wanted was to enjoy playing as child and teen, respectively; to establish a service-oriented community-based sustainable project—an activity I enjoy and love doing; among others.

I am so grateful to those who helped me receive and enjoy my blessings, and of course to God for always surprising me with His “Yes”, in the same way as He answers me with His “No”

Surely there is a lasting diamond treasure God is forming inside us as He forms our character while He lets us ask hopefully, pray faithfully, expect joyfully, prepare ourselves excitedly, and receive gratefully.

That diamond is the virtue of prudence and patience. Prudence in knowing what God is telling our hearts—when to keep on and when to let go and let God. Patience in waiting while keeping a good attitude.

Let us not preempt God's design for us. Instead, let us make sure we know what we want, it is in line with God’s words, trust God’s best desires for us, and thank Him for His daily surprises.

Don’t cheat yourselves of God’s best for you. Submit to Him and trust His spring of grace—it is overflowing, undbounded, and limitless.

Once we already have those best things in life—whether we prayed for them or not—we just know that there they are. The feeling of joy is unexplainable, the peace of heart and mind is indescribable, your gratitude to God is unfathomable… you just simply know inside your tickling heart that “I know that I know that this is it!” 

No second bests and second rates… only God’s best!

Rewind and Refuel

We all have dreams. Dreams are for free! And sometimes, we want them so badly that we pray for them night and day.

Dream job, ideal relationship, comfortable house, car... Whatever we dream of, they all have one thing in common--excitement!

All our dreams excited us at one point. And there must be a good reason why we work hard to achieve them, why we can't sleep just thinking about them, why we pray for them, and so on.

However, there are moments when we already have them our excitement dwindles and we gradually take them for granted.

A friend once told me, "I once dreamt to land on this job. Now that I got it, I am not sure if I am still happy." Another friend said, "I was head-over-heels with my girl, and she is till the lovely lady I fell in love with, but the spark has gone."

What steals our attention and feelings? Our perspective.

Just like a camera lens, when we're out of focus, our visions blur making us overlook the details and reasons that brought us to that subject.

Revisit the times when you were hungering for that dream you have now fulfilled. List down the reasons why you wanted it so badly, and from there, press on those items everyday so you are always reminded of the reasons that once fueled you to achieve and move upwards toward that goal.

Do not forget your start off point. Instead, make it a platform for you to reach your next destination. Otherwise, you'll be stuck with your first pitstop all your life and will go round the rotund whining and ranting.

It's much easier to push your dreamcart up the hill, than pull it forward in the plain.

Revisit. Focus! Anchor your attention to where your heart started off. Then move forward to your next destination with the recall of the things that excited you... And capture every turn, detour, checkpoint, people you hitchhike as you journey to your next pitstop [dream].

Don't let any distraction steal your momentum!

Align your viewfinder. Focus. Capture!

Rewind. Revisit feelings. Refuel! ...and dream again, and achieve it!