This Time Next Year

This time, next year.  Where do I want to be this time next year?  Who do I want to be?  What do I want to be doing?  January is always a month full of New Year’s resolutions and most people seem to stick with their resolutions for about a month and then tend to gradually go back to their old ways.  This is a sermon series that Victory Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma is going through.  I have learned so much from this series.  This post is basically me giving myself a much-needed pep talk.  At the beginning of each year, everyone has the motivation to be intentional about bettering themselves whether that means emotionally, mentally or physically.  But losing motivation after a while is easy to do.  You must take it one day at a time.  You must have the mentality that each day counts.  You must be consistent, diligent and patient.  You must push through the days where you don’t feel like being intentional.

I have been searching for a job for several months now and one of the common questions that I am asked in the interviews is “What is my biggest fear?”  I have stopped and truly thought about that.  My biggest fear is stagnancy.  I do not want to look up this time next year and be the same person that I was last year.  I want to grow each and every day.  I want to wake up in the morning and be a better person than I was yesterday.  

My biggest fear is stagnancy.  I do not want to look up this time next year and be the same person that I was last year.  I want to grow each and every day.  I want to wake up in the morning and be a better person than I was yesterday.

I have such big dreams and aspirations in life, however, I used to have the mentality that it would just fall into my lap.  I was always told that I can do anything that I set my mind to. But what I didn’t fully grasp is that setting your mind to something means to actually put forth the effort and be intentional.  Yes, you can do anything that you set your mind to, but no one is going to just hand it to you.  The world is a tough place.  Every man for himself.  If you want something you have to make it happen yourself.  And if you have a dream, you have to start early and you have to start somewhere.  Like Pastor Paul said yesterday, “The Lord will direct your steps, but you have to start stepping.”    If your dream is to own your own business, you don’t have a have the money or even the college education to get started.  You can start working on your business plan.  You can research and learn how to start and manage a business.  Especially with the internet, you have no excuse to not being constantly working towards your goals.  If you want to have better finances, you can start saving.  Even if it means saving a couple dollars.

During Martin Luther King Jr. Day last week I heard a quote that he said that really hit home.  He said, “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”  You must keep moving and working toward your goals.  Even if you can only take one step towards your goal each day, you are still that much closer to your goal than you were the day before.

You have no time to waste.

Each and every day counts.  Keep this mentality and you will be where you want to be this time, next year.