Achieve

Take a moment to think about your achievements in life.

Keep thinking.

How do you feel? Good, I hope.

Once we take the time to look back at the things we have achieved, we can start to appreciate that it takes all kinds of moments to make a life, it’s not all dark clouds and closing walls.  There are more moments to be treasured than there is to try to forget. Whenever you feel that there’s no need for your existence, that people are better off without you, or when you feel like giving up, think about why you got up out of bed this morning.  Think about why you’ve made what your life is today, what impacts you have made and the journeys you embarked on.  There is nothing wrong with feeling lost sometimes, nobody is happy all of the time.  Anyone that says or even believes they are, does not understand the happiness you seek. You’re the one striving forwards to be whatever you want to be, whatever makes you smile like there’s no tomorrow.  In order to get to where you want to be you are going to go through pain, sacrifice, and at times, self-doubt.  What then happens the next day?  You move forward. You push. You push harder and you believe that nothing can stand in your way.  If you know what you want, then nothing can stop you.  If you don’t want it strongly enough, how do you expect to have the strength to get there?  Don’t chase other dreams, don’t waste your beliefs on other people if you dont believe in yourself. Many believe that the grass is always greener on the other side, deluding themselves that chasing “better” tools will get you to where you want to be, rather than using what you already have to build your own dreams.  Turning dreams into reality rather than reality becoming dreams.  You will always remember the achievements that you put everything into, despite the incredible difficulties, you had the strength to make it through to the other side and stand tall with victory.

Imagine putting two sheds side by side, one of them you bought, the other you built with your bare hands.   Which one would you rather have? Which one would you rather talk about? Which one are you most proud of? Putting in your own heart, sweat and tears to build what is yours will give back to you so much more than anything else in the world.

Allow me to take this moment to talk about a story called ‘Acres of Diamonds’:

There was once a farmer who lived in Africa, and he was approached by a visitor on his farm who was looking for diamonds. At the time, diamonds were discovered in abundance in Africa, and after being approached by the visitor, this farmer became so full of excitement about the prospect of finding millions of dollars worth of diamonds, that he sold his farm to pursue his dream. He travelled across the continent in search of diamonds, hoping that one day he will find what he’s looking for.  However, after many years of searching for the diamonds that would have given him an unquestionable wealth, he never found any. He eventually became completely broke and sadly threw himself into a river and drowned. Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking egg-sized rock and decided to put it on his mantle. Another visitor stopped by, and in viewing the rock, practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The entire farm was covered in them.  It turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine; the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on ‘Acres of Diamonds’ until he sold his farm.

This is true for all of us.  You are right in the centre of your ‘Acres of diamonds’.  Take the opportunity to develop what you already have and stop looking on the other side of the fence for something better. You can make something of what you have.  It’s there. Right now. Look.

Earlier I asked you to look back at your achievements.  Which one did you think of first?

Was it the one you were the most proud of? Because it was something that, despite the difficulties, you put everything into and came out the other side victorious?

Funny how those dark clouds and closing walls suddenly seem defeatable.  That’s because they are. You can beat them.

Think again about what you are the most proud of achieving. Take the time to realise..

You did that.

Now show the world that you’re capable of more.

Sometimes the greatest achievement is realising that you have achieved before, which gives you the strength to achieve again.