"History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.” This is the famous quote from Bertie Charles Forbes that easily sums up the secret to success.
Bertie, a Scottish financial journalist and financier, founded Forbes Magazine in 1917 and Investors League in 1942. He was the Forbes Editor-in-Chief for 37 years until his death in 1954 at age 74. He was born in Scotland United States
Bertie’s quote reminds me of the mythical Phoenix that burned itself and rose from its ashes. We all have the potential of fitting into his definition of a winner. If we are able to overcome our weaknesses and fight our demons, we will be able to rise from our personal hell. Perseverance and the will to succeed reside in each one of us. Unfortunately, many people fail at overcoming their adversities because they can’t help but not shirk from the seemingly unbeatable foe.
Negative thinking.
Negative thinking.
I used to have a hard time fighting for what I believed was what I deserved. The life-changing test of my life came not too long ago after I lost my position in a company I worked for 15 years. Getting back on stable employment became the fight of my life. Without a solid source of income during the two years of unemployment, paying for the major monthly expenditures such as the mortgage, health insurance and the usual living expenses would have cracked the brittle soul. I thought I would break from the sheer strain of not finding work quickly. The two years I spent competing with others (mostly much younger than old me) for the same jobs in the marketplace made me realize that despite my middle age, I was still marketable. That I had a fighting chance!
There were many work opportunities available, but the salary offerings weren’t near what I’d been used to and what I needed to survive. In order to keep the roof over my head, I wasn’t willing to take any mediocre-paying jobs. Also, I wasn't into the two-or-three-part-time-jobs-to-make-ends-meet frame of mind. Thankfully, I had my retirement savings to depend on. That, plus my unemployment compensation, took care of me during those miserable two years. I can look back at that time with my head held high. I managed to lift myself up because I had the resources to make it happen.
I’ve always talked to my God and many times during my drives to places to look for work, I broke down and asked why He had forsaken me. Then one I woke up from a loud crash. I thought that something had exploded so I checked out all the rooms in my house to find out what happened. I didn’t see anything unusual so I went back to sleep. Two days later, as I went through my second floor hallway, I noticed that my framed “Footprints” picture was sitting on the carpeted floor outside the master bathroom. It obviously fell from the wall and I realized that it was the “explosion” I heard the other night. Miraculously, the glass didn’t break.
It suddenly dawned on me that God was sending me a loud and clear message. That in my time of darkness and suffering, He was carrying me! From then on, I didn’t worry about my jobless situation because I knew that God was taking good care of me. That in His time, I would work again so that I could take care of myself. Even if at that time my future looked bleak and hopeless, people came into my life who provided the connections I needed for my situation. Everything happened fast and before I knew it, the problem that I was agonizing over vanished into thin air! Exactly on the second anniversary of my layoff, I finally reported for full-time permanent work at the pay rate that I deserved.
That “Footprints” incident further reinforced my belief that if only people would pause from the busyness of their lives, if they would just take a moment to sit still and listen, God is sending a message that will get them out of their troubles.
Below is the "Footprints” on my wall:
If you're feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, please keep your chin up. It might be difficult considering the state you're in. But you need to feel fortunate that you are given the chance to prove your worth to yourself and to the world. With positive thoughts, you can get yourself out of that miserable hole you feel trapped in. Keep the faith and always look to the bright side. Every day, picture that auspicious sunshine that will greet you the moment you're out of that long, dark tunnel. If you persevere and hang on, the light will eventually shine the path to a better future. Like the Phoenix, you, too, can be reborn with hope.
Think the best and the brightest!
It suddenly dawned on me that God was sending me a loud and clear message. That in my time of darkness and suffering, He was carrying me! From then on, I didn’t worry about my jobless situation because I knew that God was taking good care of me. That in His time, I would work again so that I could take care of myself. Even if at that time my future looked bleak and hopeless, people came into my life who provided the connections I needed for my situation. Everything happened fast and before I knew it, the problem that I was agonizing over vanished into thin air! Exactly on the second anniversary of my layoff, I finally reported for full-time permanent work at the pay rate that I deserved.
That “Footprints” incident further reinforced my belief that if only people would pause from the busyness of their lives, if they would just take a moment to sit still and listen, God is sending a message that will get them out of their troubles.
Below is the "Footprints” on my wall:
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him,and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
If you're feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, please keep your chin up. It might be difficult considering the state you're in. But you need to feel fortunate that you are given the chance to prove your worth to yourself and to the world. With positive thoughts, you can get yourself out of that miserable hole you feel trapped in. Keep the faith and always look to the bright side. Every day, picture that auspicious sunshine that will greet you the moment you're out of that long, dark tunnel. If you persevere and hang on, the light will eventually shine the path to a better future. Like the Phoenix, you, too, can be reborn with hope.
Think the best and the brightest!
