LESSONS…

So much in life affords us so many opportunities, challenges and situations that sometimes take us from our focus. That life in general terms through these experiences teaches us certain lessons.

Life lessons…

Lessons from experiences that you have of life issues, situations, love and romance; work and education. Lessons that we learn due to the good, the bad and the ugly of whatever comes our way.

Now, here’s where you need to really think…

Do we really LEARN from these experiences?

Are there lessons to be learned from our experiences that we have in life?

Think about those experiences you’ve had thus far.

Society has mostly accepted that we learn from our mistakes, right? But it’s not just the mistakes we learn from, but the good things that happen in life. I’m sure you all can think back on your own life and enshrine on those life lessons that taught you something and shaped you for who you are today.

I have plenty…

Like the time I kicked a hole in the wall when I was real young because my parents wouldn’t let me go roller skating or something like that. My dad was quite pissed and taught me a lesson when he came home from work and saw the hole.

Yeah…life lesson…

There was another time when I was a teenager I actually put oil in the transmission fluid spout. Ruined my car.

Life lesson

Around these life lessons and through them, we start to establish and actually realize certain values in our lives. Things that we use as a focal point, or the purpose for why we get up and what we do in life, and with whom. Values are essentially quite important for everyone to establish, but they’re not held by everyone.

It’s what you believe in. What you fantasize as being your mantra, your focus, your drive.

I’m not saying anything that is difficult, or anything that would give you the impression that you have to be a “goody, goody” type of individual. But, values drive you. We are driven by so much in life and so much that takes us away from our focus that it is necessary to have belief. Belief in yourself. Establishing a values system helps us in this manner.

LET ME VISUALIZE IT FOR YOU…

Let’s say someone gave you one hundred dollars. You’d take it right?

Of course A hundred dollars is a hundred dollars

What if they tore it in half, and then gave it to you. You’d still take it right?

What if that hundred dollars was lying on the ground, all muddy, nasty, wet and just plain gross. You’d still take it right?

Of course because a hundred dollars is a hundred dollars

No matter what it looked like. No matter what happened to it, the value of that hundred dollars stayed the same. It hasn’t changed.

Is that any different in our own lives?

Do we value things, people, passion or even faith any differently than we would value the worth of that hundred-dollar bill?

Values

Think about this for a moment. What are your values? What is it that you hold so dear in your own life that no matter what, it still holds its worth and you will never break free from it?

Embrace your greatness…

To believe in yourself, you have to know what you believe in. Embracing your greatness in this way provides you with a mechanism for you to lay the foundation and to build your own values and beliefs around that.

Life is hard I know. Sometimes we struggle to see things with real perspective. There is so much happening. So much excitement. So much negativity. So much business in our lives. We have people emailing us for information and phone calls, visitors and long to-do lists. A million chores and errands to run in a day and all the whateverelsethereis of everyday reality.

But yet in the midst of all that. In the middle of all the craziness of your everyday life, what is important?

What matters to you?

Michael Jordan knew what mattered to him. Ever hear about his story? I don’t know the exact details but he was actually kicked off his basketball team by his coach (I believe). He was told he had no talent or skill and was a trouble maker. I think that very attitude against Michael is what motivated him. But he knew what mattered to him as well.

He must have. Look at what he’s been able to accomplish. Not only one of the best sports athletes to have ever lived. But he still is one of the most admired persons in the world. Millions of people, young and old, male and female admired him for him as an athlete and a person. But he couldn’t do that without knowing what he believed in, or what mattered to him.

We are all Blessed with greatness. It’s up to us to find it, take it and use it.

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Your Success is My Success,

Keith Lipke

I’m a careers and college recruiter, coach, mentor and blogger at The Hope Chest. His passion is to educate, inspire, and give hope to young people who need it upon their search for the right career and college.