While getting coffee this morning I realized there was no sugar in the sugar container. I also noticed that there was a brand new bag of sugar still in the shopping bag from the latest shopping trip. So I took it upon myself to fill the sugar container myself. While doing so, my mind was taken back to being a kid

As a child this activity happened regularly. Sugar is all gone, you are standing there with a full bowl of Corn Flakes of which you would never think of eating without sugar.

I’d be standing in front of what seems like an empty bag and I’d yell “mom, do we have anymore sugar?” She would yell back, “the sugar is in the bag.” Well I did’nt see any, but she insisted and retorted, “rip the bag open”. To this I proceeded to do so and discovered that inside the bag, in the corners and crevices lied plenty of sugar. Actually more than I needed.

It’s amazing how a simple act can bring back such a memory. There is no more sugar shortages, however I found this to be metaphorical for dealing with the seemingly empty bag of life.

Often we might feel that there is nothing left in our mental, spiritual, emotional bag. It feels like we have spent all of our substance and we can’t see anything left to draw from. Maybe the job ended, the relationship is on cardiac arrest, or you just can’t seem to get through to your children. Maybe it’s you who perpetuates self-sabotaging behavior. Before you give up and throw that bag away, make sure you have gotten all you could from it.

Here are 3 keys to getting all you can, with all you’ve got left.

1. Attitude Determines Attitude- It’s just a fact that your attitude towards life, determines life’s attitude towards you. You’ve heard that old saying, “If you think you can, or think you can’t, either way, you’re right”. It’s true. The way you approach your outcome could determine it’s outcome. Look for reasons it will work. Examine your perspective and ask, what could be positive about this situation (this is challenging but worth it). Seeing your problem as a challenge changes everything. All challenges can be overcome.
2. Purposely, be on purpose. If things aren’t going well and your life seems to be going in the wrong direction, or worse, you don’t know what direction you are going in, it usually has to do with lack of focus on your purpose. Why are you a parent (no, I mean the real reason)? You are to provide love, comfort and guidance. Just do that. Get back to your purpose and rehearse that, instead of rehearsing the problem. You may not be able to change the outcome, just stay on your purpose and you will be comforted in the fact that you did all you could for a positive outcome. That’s it.
3. Opportunity? Where are you? Inherent, in every conflict is a hidden opportunity. To every problem there is a solution. Look for it. Search for it. Often it is right in front of your face. I’ve discovered that most of what I think I need, I already have. It’s just sitting around waiting to be used. What do you think you need? Here’s a hint, let the search for opportunity start with searching yourself. Also consider this, there are multimillionaires who were college or even high school drop-outs. Opportunity is all around. I say first examine your bag. Don’t focus on the bag of others, focus on your own bag. You’ll be amazed at what you find. Generally you will discover that you have more than enough to build your success from the ground-up.

Success is tough to come by these days. However I just read about a presidential candidate who just ended his bid for the office of the presidency. The question is, is he a failure or a success?

Some might call him a failure due to the obvious fact that he did not achieve his goal. Some might indeed call him a success because he won the hearts and respect of so many Americans just to be considered for the office. Either way, the one thing we can agree on is..he took action!

Tom Peters , author of Search for Significance fame claims, that you should never work for a boss that was a straight “A” student. He claims that a 4.0 GPA is a result of a non-risk taker, someone who just does whatever they are told and seeks to be perfect in someone else’s system. There is value in this statement.

What it suggests is that success to some can be considered failure by others. Landing a 65,000 a year job would be considered success to most, but considered an aggravating, settling for an entrepreneur who would only want to work for themselves.

No matter how you see it, I’m  suggesting that failure, true failure does not exist. As a matter of fact if you aren’t pressing yourself to the “failure” point, you aren’t pushing hard enough. If you are’nt going all the way to the edge, it means there is some ground and opportunity left unrealized. If this is going to be your greatest year ever there are 3 things that you must do:

1. See the entire picture, then work backwards. I suggest visualizing the best scenario possible, as clearly as possible then work backwards. If you want to go on that dream vacation, visualize yourself there, feel the feelings you would if you were there. Then get a picture to hang in a place you visit often (I take a cell phone still shot and make it the background image on my phone, therefore every time I look at my phone I see my future).
2. Take some kind of Action. Often you can get lots done without leaving home. Do what ever it takes. Schedule it on your calendar, make calls, send emails. Be relentless. Just don’t quit!
3. Get help. Often there are people in our lives who can help us, if we just opened up and asked for it. Often we don’t get what we want because we don’t ask for it. The scripture had it right: Ask, and it shall be given (not stand around and hope someone notices you). Seek and you shall find (not sit around waiting for it to jump in your hand). Knock and the door shall be open to you (the only way doors open by themselves is if the door is if the house is leveled..other wise forget it).

Today is your day. Don’t quit, Your next effort could bring you the victory!

Your Motivator,

Kelvin Troy Johnson