Will You Survive Or Thrive? Life Lesson: You have to passionate about your life because nobody truly cares but you and God.
By U.S. SBA Entrepreneur of the Year, Author and Las Vegas Motivational Speaker – Clay Clark
In what ways can you improve? In what ways can you improve? Because Walt Disney was determined to thrive he found the tenacity needed to overcome his first and second failed business ventures. What if he had been content to merely survive? He probably would have said in an Ehor like tone (From “Winnie the Pooh”), “I supposed that’s just the way it’s supposed to be.” Because Thomas Edison absolutely focused on thriving he found the incredible force of will needed to see his team through the creation of over 10,000 failed experiments as they worked to create the first working lightbulb. How dark would your home be a night, if he had been content to merely survive? Because Henry Ford had his mindset focused on thriving, he refused to let his continual failures get him down. The man went broke 5 times before finally creating the profitable and sellable version of the automobile he called the “Model T.” Suppose, he was content to just merely surive? What if Steve Jobs had been focused on merely surviving? Would he have had the incredible drive and self-confidence needed to return to the company he had once been fired from (Apple) to work as its new CEO? Without a massive desire to thrive would the Rasmussens (the founders of ESPN) have had the boldness needed to max out their personal credit cards to keep the world’s first all sports network afloat until they could sign a $35,000 per month lease with RCA when they didn’t even have $2,000 of their own in the bank? Without an unshakable desire to thrive would Abraham Lincoln (arguably one of our country’s greatest Presidents) have had the courage of his convictions to run for President after he had been defeated in more elections than almost anyone else? My friend temporary setbacks and failures are prerequisites to success, they aren’t signs that “maybe it just might not suppose to be?” Nearly every one of America’s incredible success stories is the result of someone’s decision to thrive. Those who are content to merely survive, rarely enjoy life.
Those who are content to merely survive end up eating the leftovers from the great feast of life. Those who are content to survive, finish 4th and say, “Well at least we did our best and to make it worse they are content with having merely shown up.” Those who have their eye on the prize and who are focused on winning say, “We lost and I can’t stand losing? What do I have to do better so that I never lose again?” Those who are content with surviving are usually vague about their personal goals so that they “are not dissappointed if they do not achieve them.” Those who are absolutely determined to thrive set big personal goals and work with the speed and determination needed to transform their goals into reality. My friends, our great country (the United States of America) was founded by people who had high ideals based upon allowing humans to thrive. Although they were flawed men (like all of us), they worked tirelessly to transform their vision for a thriving society into reality. When Samuel Adams began organizing strong opposition to the British taxation, he was well aware of the two potential outcomes. When George Washington lead his poorly equipped and greatly outnumbered army against the British army he was also well aware of the two potential outcomes. These men could either thrive or they could die. These great men fought so that you and I could have a uniquely American choice. We could choose to thrive or survive.
Through a powerful, yet witty & simple quote Harvay Mackay, who successful business person turned author wrote, “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it until you get there.” This phrase is absolutely what it is all about. So how does this apply to you, your life, your family or your business? Grab a pen and honestly answer the following questions. See whether you have been focusing on thriving or just merely surviving. Your answers may just have the power to shock you out of your complacency?
- What 10 goals do you most want to accomplish in your life?
- What action steps can you take every day do get you closer the achievement of your goals?
- Rate your overall satisfaction with yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 in the following 5 key areas (with 10 being the highest) and describe to yourself how you can improve.
Spirit:
In what ways can you improve?
Mind / Your Overall Knowledge & Skill Level:
In what ways can you improve?
Body:
In what ways can you improve?
Relationships:
In what ways can you improve?
Finances:
In what ways can you improve?
- Describe a recent situation in which you let procrastination kill your motivation?
- In what areas of your life have you let the goals of others distract you from achieving your own personal goals?
- What goals have you silently given up on through inaction, lack of persistence and determination?
- Would you describe yourself as thriving or merely surviving?
I love these questions, because it doesn’t matter what successes you and I have had, or what setbacks we are currently going through we can always find room for improvement in the areas of spirit, mind, body, relationships and finances. .
