Ryan LettermanWith the world's economy in the tank, companies bankrupt, ,homes undergoing foreclosure proceedings and millions of people out of work with no end in sight, success becomes an interesting, if abstract, concept. Whatever could be out there waiting for you in the form of success? If there is something there, what are the barriers between you and achieving success?
Dwelling in a World of Faith
It was Bishop E. Bernard Jordan who perhaps best answered the question, "What does it take to succeed?" He explains that the true secret to success lies in our ability to live between a world of facts and a world of faith.
As men and women of the world, we live in a sea of facts. There are things that are done, and things that are not done. There are things that are possible, and things that are not possible. There are facts, and then there is fiction, and in this world of facts there is only so much a man may achieve.
One of the problems with living with facts that is hard to grasp for many is that our culture considers there to be an algorithm for everything in the natural world... You invest your money, it will grow. You graduate from college; you will land a job paying you a comfortable salary. You spend years and years learning the corporate culture and climbing the ladder to the top echelons of the corporation, and you will reach the pinnacle, but not without sacrifice.
What is the maximum sacrifice you will make toward your success? If you were walking in a world of faith, you would know the question is not about sacrifice. It is about how to achieve success while simultaneously enjoying the things in life you most value. It is about the things in life that bear no price tag, like spending time with people you love and watching your children grow instead of dwelling between cement walls 12 hours a day surrounded by people, some of whom you don't know and some you really don't care to know.
In faith, the barrier standing between you and everything in life you care about is your imagination and the belief in yourself that you can make it happen.
"Life is full of tough decisions," states Jordan. "Some people go through life pleased that the glass is half full; others spend a lifetime lamenting that it's half-empty. The truth is there is a glass with a certain volume of liquid in it. From there, it's up to you! Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."
Think about it. Are you living totally in a world of facts that are stifling your imagination, or are you freeing your imagination and living in a world of faith in yourself, in success and in your future? Finding the center between these two places will help you to always stay on the right path and find the road to true prosperity in everything that you do.
