The Truth Shall Set You Free Indeed, Part 1
Lana and I are in our 18th year in business. Wow… time goes by so fast. We have had the pleasure to meet thousands of people from everywhere around the world and from all avenues of life. It’s been an amazing journey and as a business builder, it is very important to develop your patience. But patience alone is not enough; it needs to be replaced with principles.
During this exciting journey, we came to realize something very basic. I fell on this insight when I was in no way looking for it and it taught me a most valuable lesson.
This fine day, I was stopped at a gas station refilling the tank on my bus. An older gentleman approached me, maybe 55 or 60 years old but man! He looked like 80. This man, young in age but old in looks, says to me, “One day, I’m going to win the lottery and get me one of these buses.”
It pretty near broke my heart.
Should dreams and goals be the product of luck? Our future left up to chance? How is it possible to live out our dreams, goals, vision and purpose if that is the hope we have of making it? I don’t believe that. And, neither should you.
We are the captains of our own ships. Becoming successful in the LIFE business is not a matter of our being lucky or even our working against the odds. It’s a sure thing. Why should we even thing of relying on luck? Courage is the better answer – the courage to speak out our goals and dreams UNTIL we realize and tap into the potential that is in us. Until we become how capable we can be.
The word courage does not mean the absence of fear. Courage is overcoming and acting WHILE we are afraid. It’s taking the small steps even when we don’t fully understand the whole picture. It’s keeping on and keeping on UNTIL we cross the bridges and the mountains in our path. It’s making decisions even when in fear.
It’s not the absence of fear; it’s taking action steps despite our fear.
British essayist Joseph Addison postulated that “Courage that grows from your constitution often forsakes (an individual) when he has occasion for it.” Let me paraphrase the rest of Addison’s quotation: when you need courage the most, it leaves you. But when courage arises from a sense of duty, it becomes uniform – or consistent in nature, despite what’s happening. That speaks volumes to me.
Courage that grows from our constitution? We first must ask ourselves what is constitution.
It simply is the way in which a thing is composed; the physical or emotional makeup of a person. It is a person’s disposition of mind; their temperament. The way in which someone or something is made up. You might even say that the temperament of the human body is your constitution, your makeup.
Let me tell you about this lady I knew who was always late. One day, I asked her why this was always the case. She answered, “It’s just the way I am.”. Answering this way took the entire responsibility off her actions. She dismissed her lateness lightly, without a care in the world. In reality, her tardiness showed how rude and disrespectful she was of others time. She was being counter-productive to her success and playing her naivete to the hilt. She was denying her power over her constitution, that she can be responsible for her makeup.
Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is ignorance; by claiming naivete and ignorance, she choose to play off her responsibilities and showed her immaturity.
It’s a serious mistake to believe that a good life comes with no responsibilities. It’s totally wrong. Life becomes a joy because I take on my responsibilities of being a husband, a father, a friend, a leader. It’s a joy doing something of value. It’s awesome to do what is right. Denying your opportunity to be responsible is missing out on the greatest joys in life.
When you take on more responsibility, you increase the significance in your life.
Continued here: The Truth Shall Set You Free Indeed, Part 2
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[…] Claude. One of the many things he will be remembered for 100years+ from now will be for an education revolution he will have started, and nurtured. The Governments of Canada and the United States of […]
[…] Claude. One of the many things he will be remembered for 100years+ from now will be for an education revolution he will have started, and nurtured. The Governments of Canada and the United States of […]
So true! We cannot allow ourselves to excuse our bad habits as “just the way we are.” We owe it to ourselves, our families, our teams, and our Creator.
Excellent post Claude! A great encouragement to examine myself and make sure I am doing all that I am capable of! THANKS!!!
I love the connection between taking responsibility and enjoying life completely. Insightful as always Claude.
Great post! I love this…”Courage is the better answer – the courage to speak out our goals and dreams UNTIL we realize and tap into the potential that is in us. Until we become how capable we can be.” Looking forward to reading Part 2!
Courage should be a curriculum that runs along side our spiritual maturity. Claude, you inspire this in men an women every where you go. I know sometimes when I am contacting or showing the plan, all I have to do is imagine one of the PC are in the room, too, and my level of courage and my sense of purpose dramatically increase. And we aspire to live at higher levels of courage each day to match some day the level shown by the Founders.
And I love what Trevor Long repeated about having fear of God, not man. The whole of living stems from this…..and the degree of our impact inextricably tied.
I love that TEAM and LIFE stand for what is right all the time. Great shoulders for us all to stand on.
Stealth, Team 180
Leah Stadel
Great blog Claude! I was just listening to the Fearless audio yesterday and the day before one of Orin’s blogs about having a fear of God and not man. I think I’m suppose to learn and develop courage. I appreciate how you connect courage to joyful and rewarding living, actually living the way God designed us to live. May this blog encourage each of us to take even the small steps towards a more courageous and fulfilling life.
Thanks,
Trevor Long
A terrific perspective and very valuable blog post/read; thank you so very much, Claude.
It ties very neatly into the MFC’s Resolution 2!
Anxious for part 2! I once heard someone say that you cannot change those things in life you tolerate. That someone went by the same name as the author of this blog. Very insightful.
Awesome article. I’m reminded of 1 of my favourite quotes ‘Only the disciplined are free’. I think discipline is a reflection of our ‘constitution’ and I respect you guys so much for modelling what discipline/courage/constitution looks like on a daily basis as you serve the community.
Thank you for everything that you do.
Very insightful Claude, thank you.
Whay a great post Claude. Taking resposibilty for my actions was not an easy thing for me. Call it immaturity or just lack of will, it was just hard. That’s the point though isn’t it? Having courage when it’s the hardest and scariest in your life gives you the ability to self-trust. I often notice in my classes as a high
school teacher that students are so afraid of failure and have so little self-trust that it truly limits their ability to suceed in all areas of their lives.
This has reminded me that stretching myself by facing my fears is always a good thing and being a man and taking responsibilty for my family and my business is a privilege that I am learning to take great joy in!
Thanks Claude,
Jeff & Detry
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