Determination

Determination  

Wanda Wade

nicolepachulski.buzznet.com

Imagine being in a world where everything that you do is a success, and in that same world everyone around you answers yes to any question you may ask, particularly those pertaining to your  dreams.  If you lived in this world would achieving your goals be a lot easier?  Would it take all of the guess work, the obstacles and the determination away?  After all isn't a part of the success of achieving a goal or desired accomplishment the hard work that you put into it? 

I like to find inspiration for my writing wherever I can, in a story I've heard, a movie I've seen or even in everyday life as it unfolds around me.  On this particular day my inspiration came from the movie I watched about the life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.  Watching this movie gave me a renewed spark to continue to reach for my dreams. 

Overall, what I found to be the most fascinating was his sheer will and determination to turn nothing into something.   Not only did Steve Jobs have vision but he didn't see rejection as a set back and he wouldn't take no for an answer.  His strong belief in his product and the capability of the team he had assembled proved to be a great combination, together they turned a garage front operation into a mega corporation. His determination was proven over and over again.  So I ask you, how far are you willing to go to make your dreams come true?  

Steve's frustration was evident, but I saw something more.  A fight that was undeniable as he made attempt after attempt to receive the financial backing that was needed, in order to move his starter company from his parents garage into the billion dollar industry that it is today.  He was willing to risk failure if success was the end result.  

Jobs defied the status quo and mediocrity was unheard of. He was a revolutionary in the making. Steve proved to be just as hard on those around him as he was on himself.  So much so that anyone could be expendable, even him.  It showed that in every great success story there are set backs and when he was voted out of the company that he helped to create he didn't give up.  Instead, he went on to start another profitable business and  later was asked to return to where it all began. 

His dream was to revolutionize the world.  That accomplishment is evident today as Apple continues to make strides as an industry leader.  In his closing remarks Steve said, "the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."  Apple became a movement and hence,  his legacy was born. 

Determination is the stepping stone to success - wanda wade

Road to Success

Road to Success 

Wanda Wade

If the road to success is paved with failures then my dad has succeeded far beyond its measure. He grew up in a time when the world wasn't so kind to anyone of African American descent.  Raised in a rural area, about thirty minutes outside of New Orleans, called St. Rose, my dad like his father faced many adversities.  Though the Civil Rights Movement had begun blacks in the south still faced segregation.  A black man trying to support a large family on a minimal labor wage proved to be difficult and quite often my grandfather found himself working long hours in order to be able to provide for his wife and children.  The backdrop of my father's upbringing was a traditional one, my grandfather worked outside of the home, while my grandmother made sure their home and children were cared for. 

My dad's family was big in comparison to many families of today.  He had fifteen brothers and sisters, one of whom died shortly after birth, from SIDS and five others have since passed away. His parents are gone now too, but together what they instilled in him and his siblings from childhood is as true for him today as it was back then.  In a town whose population was dense and dreams were somewhat of a rare commodity, an eleven year old boy dared to dream big with thoughts of one day owning his own business. 

Growing up in a family that size sometimes made it hard to be heard, yet my dad never felt like he didn't get enough of his parents attention.  Though he will admit, it was quite a juggling act for them to divide their time among all fifteen children. The small house was overcrowded but it was filled with lots of love, and it was there that my dad learned the value of family and hard work. He marveled at his father's ability to divide his time between work and making sure that his sons grew into respectable men.  My dad took those lessons that he learned and passed them down to his own children. 

In one of many conversations I had with my dad I asked him what was one of the most valuable lessons he had learned from his father.  He said that my grandfather had always told him "regardless of what other people say you can do whatever you want and no matter what, follow your dreams."  It  was those encouraging words that he had heard so long ago that my dad finally made the decision to start his own company.  Equipped with his knowledge for the business and his strong desire to succeed he walked away from the only job he had known for over twenty years. 

His decision proved to be a good one and transitioning from employer to business owner shows that all dreams; big, small, or even those from childhood can still be achieved.  Enroute to success he was met with obstacles and challenges but through it all, for himself and our family it was well worth it.   

Looking back over the last thirty years my dad says following his dreams has been the best decision he's made and for him the true success has been in showing his children that they too can do the same.    

Define your own road to success - wanda wade

Power of the Tongue

Power of the Tongue 

Wanda Wade

pentecostalpublishing.com

The saying "think before you speak," conjures up the thought that careful consideration should be given to the words that are spoken before they actually come out of your mouth.  I thought about this for a moment and wondered why is this necessary?  Shouldn't you be able to say what you're  thinking?  Why should you need to think about what you want to say before you say it?  This thought provoking moment caused far more questions than answers for me.   

It first led me to something I had heard early on in my childhood, "there's death and life in the power of the tongue."  My maternal grandfather was a pastor of his own church and as a child I spent countless Sundays sitting in the pews as he spoke of redemption and salvation.  I became very familiar with many passages in the bible, so it was with ease that I thought of this verse,  

So if you're supposed to think before you speak and there's death and life in the power of the tongue, what does it all mean? And are the two related?  Let me try to clarify it and yes I believe they both go hand and hand.  If you're talking to a friend who may be going through a particularly hard time what would that conversation be like?  I'd like to think that you would offer words of encouragement, or would you?  Think about the affect your words have on those around you.  When you say something in kind more than likely it's received that way but what happens if something is said out of anger or malice? 

My bet is that it would cause an adverse reaction.  

An argument could ensue and the person on the receiving end may also respond in the same way.  In that moment did you think about your words, or were you thinking more about word choice and what you could say that would hurt the other person?  In an instance like this, is why it's important to think before you speak, even in an argument because once those words are spoken they can't be taken back.  An apology later will do little to what's already been said and still you have given life to something negative.  

Now what about the other, death and life being in the power of the tongue? Well, there's more to the verse; in it's entirety it says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit there of."  What is being relayed here is that the words you speak have the ability to do good or cause harm. For example, rumors and slander can ruin someone's reputation, while kind words of advice may lead someone down a positive path. 

Furthermore, the words you speak  have an affect on you as well, for the fruit there of, stipulates that you'll be rewarded by what you say and if this is so, what will you choose to display in your words?  

Watch that your tongue isn't used to create words of harm - wanda wade

The Impossible

motivationjuice.blogspot.co...

The Impossible 

Wanda Wade

For those of you who think it's easier to accept what's given to you than to go out and create it on your own, then the possibility of the impossible may not exist for you. However, for those who want to go out and take the world by storm and hold true to the belief that anything is possible then opening your mind,  and accepting all of life's possibilities is as easy as saying your name.  All that's left to do now, is to decide what you want. 

Fortunately for most, we live in a world where there is an excess of options available and what you decide is solely up to you.  Your direction, your path,  your choice.  There's no one to tell you that you can't do it.  Although there may be some who don't agree, the final decision is still yours. The only impossibility would be the one that you impose on yourself. Getting out of your own way can be a challenge but if you start by taking small steps toward your goal and seeing results along the way this will further help to set your sights on high. 

Creating a life of success and fulfillment takes work.  It's not something that just happens overnight, don't be fooled into believing this to be true.  There are no short cuts or magic potions involved, just a lot of hard work and determination.  Realizing that the road ahead is lined with hard work doesn't mean it isn't possible, it's just going to take your dedication.  So with that in mind roll up your sleeves and let the work begin.  The impossible is only impossible until someone does it and that someone could be you. 

When you accomplish something that you thought to be impossible how do you handle it?  Do you pat yourself on the back for a job well done or simply let the moment slip away as if it were just another thing checked off of your to do list?  Acknowledge that you've tackled and completed a difficult task.  It's ok to recognize your accomplishments.  If no one else is proud of you, you should be.  Don't short change yourself or under value what you've achieved because there's a lot of hard work involved in most success stories. 

If you believe it can be done then the impossible has been accomplished. - Wanda Wade