From an early age, we are told that our success in life depends entirely on us, and we’ve all heard the following …
“If you want to succeed, do not worry about anyone or anything else! You must take control of your life!”
“The people who have the most are the ones who take full responsibility for their lives, and they decide to do it on their own.”
“You can’t worry about what other people think … You just need to go solo and create your own riches.”
Before I continue here, I want to state that there is value in having 100% confidence in who we are and what we want to do in life. I also believe it is best to have a quiet confidence and not one that is overbearing and operating like a wrecking ball.
External Factors
Whether we like it or not, there are many external factors that can affect anyone’s future success.
For example, I’m nearly certain I would have faced educational and career limitations had we not moved from Uvalde, Texas to a small town in Kansas when I was about 12 years old.
While I had a great family life in Uvalde growing up in my grandmother’s home with aunts, uncles, and cousins … There was little emphasis on earning a college degree.
However, in Montezuma, Kansas, a small rural town of fewer than 1,000 people, there was no way I could skip school. I remember the day I pretended to be sick for a second day in a row, and our principal stopped by the house to “see how I was doing.”
My point here is that many external factors may hinder our chances of success.
Now, I did say “hinder” and not prevent. Most of us have situations where we can determine when something or someone is creating a barrier, and we have the option to extricate ourselves from those circumstances.
Driven
When I think about a driven approach today, I am fully aware that there are some factors I can control and some that are beyond my means or that I am unwilling to undertake.
For example, I am nearly certain I can generate more income by taking on additional work. However, I must consider the other people in the car, most notably my family.
The more I invest in career-related activities, the less time I spend with the people who matter the most to me.
Galveston
Today, I am here in Galveston, Texas, where our daughter’s Antonian High School team is participating in the national dance competition. They performed at a high-level, and the parents and grandparents are fervent cheerleaders.
In fact, after yesterday’s afternoon competition, we cheered loudly for them as they greeted family members in the hallway. The girls had big smiles on their faces, and they were so happy to see the love and support of their loved ones.
I observed a beautiful moment when grandparents were holding a sign with the big letter “A” as they observed their granddaughter take a group photo.
The look on one grandpa’s face was so touching, showing so much love and pride without the need for any words.
As I think about this example, the only driving I am doing today is from Galveston … and I am looking forward to it!
Inspiring Quotes
“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.” – Epictetus
Homework Inquiry
During the next week, here’s your homework inquiry: What is possible when you stop trying to control things in your life?
I use this opportunity to share with you a unique story and a couple inspiring quotes. Oh ... as a professor at heart, you guessed it, I have a homework inquiry for you. This is a powerful question that might just trigger you to take action on something that really matters in your life. If you feel the Catalyst Newsletter brings benefit to you.