I remember the story of a TV evangelist who said he took the word “impossible” out of his dictionary. Each time someone would say the word he would hand them his dictionary and say “I don’t know that word; could you look it up for me.” When that person would then open the dictionary to the word, they would say “It’s not here; someone cut it out.”
I am reminded that in the Bible it says that with God all things are possible. This very idea, that we just give up when times are tough, it is something I refuse to believe in my life. I write these blog posts, my books and others programs I help people with, to inspire you to know that, no matter how hard it seems at times, life will go on.
When I was 16 years old we went on an outing to go ice skating. I fell on the ice and hurt my tailbone. If you’ve ever done that, you know how painful it is. It was not a medical problem, but it hurt and I proceeded to tell those people who were our leaders at the event (I remember one woman’s name was Ethel – that’s right, Mom) that I’d hurt myself. They told me that in 50 years, would this matter? Since then I started to look at every little thing I went through with that same thought: will this be a problem in 50 years? I want to say some 30 years after that happened the tail bone does not hurt anymore.
In the overall outlook of life, how many of those things that we think are impossible at the moment are just like my tailbone hurting at 16? When you are going through the problem, or the tough times of life (and you will face them if you intend on doing anything with your life), we get so caught up in what we are facing that we do not stop to take a look around the problem.
When going through the seminar, the Road Adventure, a few years ago the main thing we had to learn is usually the last thing we do: that is, when facing a challenge that you feel you cannot face, first stop and talk to the guy for whom nothing is impossible – God. Yes take a minute and pray and ask him for a solution. The very evangelist that I listed above used this technique as his way around things, first he would pray, then he would take out a sheet of paper and write down ten ways to get past the impossible.
But today you may be facing something in your life that you truly feel is impossible, and nothing I tell you is going to make it seem any better. Well, I’m going to give you a three-step process to get you through the impossible task, or challenge you are facing.
1. Get a wide range view of where you stand. It’s time for you to realize what is around you, so take a look around. Really analyze this problem. If you must step back to see it, then do so; if you must get a few friends to help you, then put together a trusted team. Build your own support system, one that gets you up and going. In the beginning the first few steps are the hardest to take, if your current life picture is a square you are going to have to push hard to round out those edges and make life roll again.
2. Get yourself back on your own feet and fast. At first, to get yourself out of tough times, you might have to depend on others, but get yourself back to standing on your own two feet as fast as you can. Yes, life will still give you challenges, but if you get back to doing it yourself you will become stronger faster. On this earth we need to rely on God before we rely on others to get us through. He gave you a great mind to find the solutions to the very problems; the sooner you get to rely on yourself the sooner you can help others.
3. Once you are standing on your own feet, step out and help others solve the same problems. I don’t mean do it for them, but be there to support them as they work to get on their own two feet. You are familiar with the person who has gone through cancer in life (either as a patient or a family member) and who is usually the first to be at the cancer support events. Most of them are out walking to raise money to help companies develop drugs and cures for the very cancer they have faced. Yet they come to these events while still dealing with the day to day challenges, and pain, that very disease causes them. In pain they serve others who are just starting to find out about cancer.
Life is about this: first we figure out our situation; then we get the help we need, work towards going back to taking care of ourselves; then we reach out to help others do the same. Most people think that because I write all these things I have no problems in life. I want you to know that is not true. Both I and my family have troubles we face on a daily basis. I want to give you just a piece of what this week has been for our house.
As we have been discussing these words this week, in our house we have had what sometimes seems like one too many challenges. We have an investment company with rental properties. No one has paid their rent yet this month (although when we got home tonight, we found a check from one renter). We discovered a challenge with a lease car we had: the original agreement we thought we had was for 60,000 miles; we found out today with 4 months left on the lease (and 58,000 miles on the odometer) it was for only 48,000 miles. We now owe a large chunk for mileage. Many of the contracts that we have had just seem to be falling apart. My daughter is still facing health issues. She is facing so many challenges that she sometimes feels life is impossible.
With all of this I was able to meet a new friend this week who when I told him we had great challenges he said what a blessing, you must have great goals. Thanks, Lane. Your words are so true. To all my readers, if life seems impossible to you this week, rejoice it means you have big goals. And think of the bragging rights you’ll have when you overcome the obstacles you’ve faced, the roadblocks that seemed impossible to overcome!
I’m Tim Gillette, the Rocker Life Coach. It’s time for you to live the life you always wanted, to love what you do and those you share life with. Let us help you become a RockStar in your world
