— By Jon Gordon
It’s big but you can’t see it. So great that if you could see it you wouldn’t believe it. It’s your destiny and it’s calling you. If you don’t believe me just remember Albert Einstein. He could not speak until he was four years old. He did not read until he was 7. His parents thought he was mentally challenged. Or how about Beethoven. His music teacher said, “As a composer he is hopeless.” And let’s not forget Muhammad Ali. His teacher once told him he wouldn’t amount to anything. He showed her and the world that he was “The Greatest” after all.
The Google guys tried to sell their business to Yahoo for a few million dollars and were told to come back when they were finished with their little school project. Steve Jobs was once fired from Apple. We all know Helen Keller’s story and we certainly all know our own story.
Every day we face challenges, fears, obstacles, and negativity that hits us with left jabs and right hooks. We get so caught up in the details of bills, job pressures, raising kids, fixing the house, car payments, trying to make a living and a hundred other to-dos, that we can’t even see over the piles of paper on our desk never mind—our future success.
But when times are tough and your bills are bigger than the balance in your checking account; or when your business has slowed down and you’re not sure what to do next; or when your future is uncertain and all feels hopeless… these are the times when you need to realize the most—that you are part of a bigger plan. There is greatness in you. There is a Big Life Plan for you.
Your destiny sits inside your soul like DNA sits inside your genes. You may not be able to see it but its there—waiting to unfold if you let it. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the crashing waves. Instead jump those waves and keep your head up looking out into the horizon.
And if you experience a wave so big that there is no way you can jump it, then ride it. Learn from the surfer who challenges wave after wave, growing stronger, developing more balance, and becoming more skilled every day. A smooth ocean never made a skilled surfer and a struggle-free existence never made a meaningful, great life.
The next time you are facing a difficult situation remember that there is more than what is in front of you. There is a challenge, a lesson, and a plan.
Emerson said “The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear.”
Don’t let fear get in the way of the life that is meant for you. Einstein, Beethoven , Muhammad Ali, and Helen Keller show us that anything is possible. They are real people who overcame their obstacles and doubters and discovered their greatness.
Trust that there is a plan for you and let the possibilities unfold. In the process you will discover the great things you are born to do. You don’t have to push. Just trust and your destiny will meet you when the time is right.
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We are granted permission to post this story, with the stipulation that we credit Jon Gordon as the author and provide a link to www.JonGordon.com.