Chapter 11 - You Shall Succeed! - Strength for the Journey
A Motivational
Our world today languishes in a sad & sorry state of affairs.
We have made great strides in the fields of physical & mental development, perhaps standing at the highest pinnacle of technological prowess in the history of mankind. And, while it is true that the majority of the humans living on the surface of the planet are yet unaware of just how far we have come as a species, the evidences of this progress are still undeniable.
Despite such progress, we each daily persist in developing and supporting a spiritually bankrupt cultural system, almost entirely devoid of any sort of moral compass. What have we to show for ourselves? Were the great men & women of our past transported to our time, what could we possibly say to them in defense of our situation?
Two choices present themselves to us. We can continue blaming others, claiming ignorance & a general helplessness to affect change, and remain contented with our personal excuses. Or we can grab a hold of our fortitude, determined to do our utmost to positively impact the world with our daily behaviors, driven by ironclad will, realized through a consistent application of self-discipline. How can we be so sure we cannot change anything, unless we make a solid attempt, never ceasing until the situation is resolved?
If God is with us, who can stand against us? We shall indeed live in a world filled with Beauty, Love & Truth! All illusions that appear to stand in the way of such a vision are (quite rapidly at the moment) withering away, in their final death throes.
What's taking so long? Simply, the mass of humanity remains resigned to the perceived inevitability of modern society's daily drudgery and pessimism, ever hesitating to join the merry band of impacters, until they are convinced of an assured victory.
Maybe you concur with our conclusions, and are also experiencing a burning desire to live in a transformed world. Throw your lot in with us then, lend us all your sword (talents)! Universal progress is slow, but steady, however, our concentration is on internal personal growth, and not primarily on external change. The situations around us conform to and mirror our inner state. There is far more power there than most of us are currently aware!
We have heard it before, "Become the change you wish to see in the world", but our materialistic focus, and subsequent approach & efforts, have bred a culture of cynicism, sarcasm & indifference. An unrelenting, steadfast resolve to daily accomplish personal alchemical progress makes a difference. In fact, it is only through the seemingly minor efforts of the (ever-increasing) number of individuals so resolved, that any meaningful & enduring impacts are ever (and have ever been) achieved.
So, I implore you, pick yourself up off the ground! Your life is in your hands! Even when there seems to be nothing you can do to improve your lot, there is always something small you can do today (perhaps right this instant!) to right your personal course. Seize the rudder, and steer yourself away from the icebergs! Our situations seem hopeless only when we concede that we are powerless. But this is a dangerous (and persistent) lie! We must boldly acknowledge that our prior decisions and actions contributed to placing us on our current path, or we will never allow ourselves to believe that we can shift direction!
Every moment, we make choices! If we feel there is no choice, that we have no options, then we are lying to ourselves! Maybe we cannot overhaul our lives in a day, physical changes do take time. Our changed mindsets must be backed up through the development of a daily habit of self-discipline, fueling constant reinforcement of our decisions through modified behaviors & actions! We are all capable of these things.
Perhaps we have no practice in self-discipline. No matter, start from where you are today. Begin watching or reading motivational materials, instead of lounging around, bolstering an attitude of powerless incompetence! No master of self-discipline will ever advise you that the path is easy! If anyone declares this, he (or she) is unequivocally out of his (or her) league, having no business attempting to instruct others! Grit is not optional, hard work is unavoidable! That is our great hope, for talent means far less than we suspect.
The tortoise(s) will triumph over the sleeping hare(s) every single time!
"The key to success is action, and the essential in action is perseverance." - Sun Yat-sen