Traveling The Road Less Traveled

"I couldn't wait for success so I went ahead without it." These words spoken by Jonathan Winters continue to resonate in my mind as I plan my short and long term goals. Of all collegiate athletes only 1% will ever play professionally, only .03% of Americans will earn $1 million annually, and only 29% of Americans will graduate from a 4-year university. Though I, nor Jonathan Winters know the secret to success, the individuals that have achieved it that I know personally have all "TRAVELED THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED". They are willing to do the things that others are not in order to achieve their goals. They have a VISION. Knowing exactly what we are working towards is the first step. Proverbs 29:18 states that "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Creating a vision of the end result allows us to mark our progress along the way. It is difficult to remain encouraged if we do not take the time to notice mile markers as we pass them. We must relish in small victories, because their accumulation is what ultimately leads us to our destination. Having a keen eye set on our destination also prevents us from detouring on routes that "look" similar to the one we are traveling. Our vision allows us to be patient enough to wait on the right exit because we have already estimated the travel time. The most successful individuals I know have an ATTITUDE of success. Our attitude determines how we approach each situation. It determines whether we are willing to stand up against the giants that currently occupy "the land of milk and honey" like Joshua and Caleb. Our attitude shapes our perspective of the experiences we encounter. It is the difference between seeing construction on the road as a dead end or an opportunity to find an alternate route in order to have options for the trip home. We have to be determined to reach our destination regardless of circumstances. If adversity is not a part of our vision, then it is merely a fantasy. We can not be afraid to PUSH THE BOUNDARIES and be unorthodox. A couple days ago my dad shared with me his opinion of tradition. "You can throw tradition outdoors somewhere for all I care!" LOL!!! We must have the ability to adjust and push ourselves further than ever before. If we continue to do what we have always done, then we'll continue to get what we have always gotten. We are all gifted with some form of creativity, we must discover it and put it to work. The road to success is less traveled for a reason; it requires SACRIFICE; whether it be time, money, or even people. It costs more to travel across country than across town. It is lonely at the top because although everyone wants to be successful, very few are willing to do what it takes. We miss out on spending time with friends and family, it often costs money to get to where we are going, and some people even have to be removed from our lives if they are not headed in the same direction. We can not make it to New Orleans by traveling with people headed to Mobile. Lastly, we must UNDERSTAND OUR ADVERSITY. We must overcome it, learn the lessons from it, recognize the strength we gain by going through it, and let our testimony serve as encouragement to others. "Success is not measured by where a person makes it in life, but by the adversities they overcome to get there."