Most of your visible success will come from the things you do no one else sees. Just like the seeds you sow. Most of the process of a plant’s growth happens beneath the surface, hidden in a place no one sees.
Success- which we’ve defined as living up to your God-given potential in every area of life- is largely like that. Most of the factors that create visible success are invisible. They’re real and measurable, but most people don’t see them.
Because of that, problems arise when we compare our daily grind to someone else’s moment on the stage- or their highlight reel. We often don't see the myriad of factors contributing to that highlight reel.
Again…
Most of the actions which create visible success are unseen.
"You only see 10% of the iceberg," the saying goes. "90% of the iceberg exists beneath the surface."
The preacher from whom I first heard that stat used the metaphor of the iceberg to describe character flaws beneath the surface of our lives. Unseen things we hide. Things that left unchecked can bring things as big as the Titanic down in a night.
We’ve all watched it unfold numerous times…
• Ministry leader fails- because of some huge thing beneath the surface
• Marriage falls apart- because of some relational rift that kept getting swept away under the rug rather than discussed
• Kids shun parents and parents shun kids- because of some hurt that dug so deep that no one would simply own so that everyone can move forward together
• A hidden addiction- to alcohol, porn, drugs, sex- suddenly combusts and something (or someone) goes down in flames
You could add more things to the list. We've both watched it play out in real time. Multiple times.
Speaking about unseen things we should AVOID is NOT the purpose of this talk. Rather, I'd like to call your attention to the UNSEEN THINGS we should NOT avoid. The UNSEEN things we should do every day. It's these UNSEEN THINGS that create greatness. And it's those same things that give us the platform to encourage others to the greatness within them.
What are the “underwater” activities?
Things like:
• Persisting when you’re tired or even bored
• Failing and getting back up
• Sacrificing time when you could be doing other things and receiving an “instant” result
• Dealing with humiliation- then stepping back and showing your face to the same crown (often, more times than once)
• Overcoming doubt and frustration- the inevitable feelings with any of the above happen
• Good habits for extended periods of time
• Feeling alone- as you do the hard work no one else sees
You’ll eventually “walk on water.” To succeed, though, you’ve got to grow comfortable swimming beneath the surface first. Everyone who walks on water first swims under water!
Of course, not all swimming is negative. The biggest part of “the swim” is being consistent- of working the hours required, of continuing the good habits, of pressing forward even when no one else is… even when you don’t seem to be making much progress. After all, that’s when the biggest breakthroughs are generally just around the corner.
Here’s something I’ve learned about success and dreams:
If it’s your dream, you’ll invest the time it takes to succeed. Even when no one sees. If not, you won’t.
(That doesn’t mean you’re a “bad person,” by the way. It just means that, well… this isn’t your dream. Something else is.)
For a season I had a list of wannabe business builders on our home-based biz team who consistently missed training opportunities and big events- even though those are two of the factors which successful builders always attribute to their success. In other words, these efforts are part of the success recipe. Implement those and you’re closer to your "cake."
“I can’t miss this _______________” (fill in the blank of whatever the “thing of the month” they opted to attend instead), they regularly reported. Then, the promise- “I’ll get to the next event that I’m able to squeeze into my schedule.”
No problem. Missing one opportunity isn't the end of the world. Life is full of trade-offs. But, if you miss every single opportunity, you need to step back and be honest with yourself.
In some instances, they need to admit the truth. This business isn’t their dream.
Or, if it is their dream, they haven't come to terms with the actual cost. It’s something that’s a good idea, but if they’re not willing to invest the time and energy… if there not willing to move this from a MISSION to a VISION… from a WHAT to a HOW… then, really, it’s not theirs…
They don’t own it.
Or they want to own it yet work so little at it, that they CAN’T SUCCEED because they’re not willing to invest the time + energy that successful people invest in it. Remember, success is a recipe...
2 окт 2024
