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It's something we all have in common.
We're curious
about the future, wondering, "What's going to happen
in my life tomorrow, next week and next year?"
It's
human nature to think, analyze, and study life.
Sometimes the conclusion of that study is to worry about
the future. Today, there are so many negative messages
bombarding us through the media. People are worried
about paying the mortgage, putting food on the table,
whether or not they will have a job tomorrow, putting
their children through college, retirement and caring
for their families. These are real concerns of life, but
I'm convinced that simply worrying about what's going to
happen tomorrow won't change the outcome.
Many people assume that the future is a mystery that
we have little or no control over. Some view themselves
as victims of fate, dependent on the next lucky break.
They sing a powerless mantra of Qué Será, Será and
plod through life. The truth is that our greatest power
is our power to choose.
When I was in my late 20s, I recognized how quickly
life passes by. I began giving serious thought to my
future and I meditated on the ways that it was being
formed. As I began to study my life and the lives of
successful people ahead of me, I discovered a number of
forces at work that create the life we live.
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Once I
identify the forces that got me where I am, I can use
those forces to my advantage to form my future. Here are
a few that I found:
Force of Beliefs
Changing your belief system can change your life. You
can have something right in your heart, but wrong in
your mind and no amount of good intentions or right
motives will compensate for self-sabotaging beliefs.
Do
you think you got the short end of the stick? Do you
believe you have insurmountable adversity? Do you wonder
whether you are a chump or a champ? Do you believe that
you are strong or weak?
- Remember this: your most dominant beliefs always win.
So choose to believe good things about yourself and your
future.
Force of Relationships
Going anywhere substantial is impossible alone. For
instance, when I board an airplane to take me to another
city, there are teams of people who are involved in my
journey. There are members of the security team who keep
me safe. There are the pilots I trust to be competent
and qualified to get me to my destination. There are the
flight attendants, who make the journey comfortable and
more enjoyable. This team helps me get to where I want
to go. My journey is better, safer and complete because
of these people. In the same way, your life's journey
will involve people connections.
- Evaluate the relationships in your life, taking the
initiative to surround yourself with people who will
help you get to the places of your highest potential.
Force of Habits
Great people have great habits. The power of our success
or failure is in what we do repeatedly. One does not
become a coffee drinker because he or she drank one cup of
coffee, or a smoker because he or she smoked one cigarette, or
a generous person because of one gift given. We improve
our lives when we change our habits. Don't put all your
energy into getting rid of bad habits. Instead, focus on
developing good habits to replace the bad ones. For
example, giving compliments breaks the habit of being
critical, eating healthy foods breaks the yearning for
unhealthy foods, and paying attention to time breaks the
habit of being late.
- Put your energy into developing good habits.
Force of Words
More than a sound, words are a creative force. They have
the power to bring encouragement, blessing, healing and
wisdom or hurt, shame and discouragement. Words change
the course of history. The words of Abraham Lincoln and
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pointed us toward the goals
of justice and equality, and Patrick Henry's "Give
me liberty or give me death'' speech connected with his
countrymen and rallied them to victory in the
Revolutionary War. Words have the power to bless or
curse the future. The people you influence are counting
on you to speak words of life, truth and hope.
- Think about this: how would your life be different if
your words were more positive, uplifting and
encouraging?
This is what I love about the future:
We can do
something about it. These are just a few of the factors
that impact our life. We don't have to feel powerless,
pessimistic or anxious about what lies ahead. I believe
we can partner with God to live the best lives He has
called us to. It is never too late to decide that you're
going to take ownership of the choices you make in life.
Our greatest power is our power to choose.
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