Don’t let your new year begin with these three crippling words keeping you from the success you deserve. Those three words are ‘but what if?’
As a Christian I know what the Bible says regarding worrying. Matthew 6:34 says, “The worries of the day are sufficient for the day. Don’t worry about tomorrow as tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” Yet, the human part of me finds me saying, “but what if?” when I get an idea or thought that is different from my normal day to day thoughts and actions.
If you are like me you can look back on times in your life when you wanted to step out and take a chance and then those three little words popped into your head and BAM you didn’t give it a try.
This year try to remember that it is okay to try and fail because you can try again! Want to learn a new language? Don’t listen to the naysayers who will tell you that you are too old. Want to get that degree you never finished? Head to the college and talk to someone about what is involved and then step out and go for it. Things may not be easy or go smoothly but worthwhile things rarely are do.
Imagine how many medical inroads might have been made already if the seeds of opportunity had not died in the ground because some one thought, ‘but what if?’ How much more technology would be available today in all fields of our lives if the thoughts had not died on the vine because someone thought, ‘but what if?’
Those three words are often the result of the fear we have of being mocked or not being successful in front of our family and peers. This year let us try to throw the fear, that keeps us from achieving everything that God has put into our grasp, into a deep hole never to be seen again.
Human ingenuity is one of God’s greatest gifts to us. However, it can’t be achieved fully if we don’t step out and do whatever we can do live our lives to our fullest potential. Is it always easy? No, of course not but we need to keep pushing forward. If we didn’t we would still be living in the Dark Ages.
Look at Marie Curie. She was a woman in a field totally dominated by men and yet she didn’t let society stop her or tell her to “stay her lane.” Due to her facing all those difficulties she went on to advance medical science through her discoveries in radiation.
Louis Pasteur ignored the laughter and mockery when he tried to educate people on the value of vaccinations, pasteurizing milk and other techniques to prevent disease. Both Pasteur and Curie are responsible for saying millions of lives.
These are just two examples. Most of us will not make that kind of world wide impact but if all of us made a positive impact, even a small one, in our family or community maybe that would be the seed someone needs to make a mighty impact.
So, if you are looking to make a New Years Resolution, how about deciding to not let those three words, ‘but what if?’ run your life this year.
Happy New Years to all of my family and friends!!