Day #14: The Courage to Continue That Counts

I used to want to be famous. I was pretty young though, so I didn't know what all that involved, and since then, I've had second thoughts. I wanted to be an actor, and the profession kind of runs in the family. A few of my distantly related cousins have made their way in the world through acting, and though very few people actually succeed, those few work hard at what they do. This doesn't just apply to acting or being famous. It applies to all forms of success in everything you do. Rarely ever do people succeed without working very hard to accomplish their goals. That's what success requires; effort, drive and perseverance. Sometimes we fail, but failure allows us to become stronger, if only we will persevere. Dale Carnegie said it well,  "Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success."  Basketball star Michael Jordan said, "I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." 

If failure were the end, all of us would be done, because all of us have failed at some point in our lives. If you want to do something great, if you want to achieve success, you must learn to be patient, to persevere, to overcome failure, to work hard, and most of all, to believe that you can.  Your own strength and enthusiasm is one of they keys to achieving your goals. My friend Stephen Rosenberger, who a lot of you probably know, is biking across the country right now. That was his dream, and it isn't any easy one to achieve, but he is making it a reality due to effort, determination, and belief in his ability. I admire him for putting so much effort into achieving his goals, and I'm sure his determination will always be a tool that he will use in achieving success in whatever he does. 

So whether your goal is 4,000 miles of road, or simply trying to get your PC to thaw out, remember that failure is not the end, but only another start, except with more experience and knowledge. 

"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure." ~Bill Cosby

-Andrew