First of all, I want to take a moment and wish you a Happy New Year! We have crossed over into 2020 and I hope that your year is off to a great start. This is not only the beginning of a new year but the start of a brand new decade. Hopefully, you have laid out a plan and devised a strategy to make 2020 a successful year for you. As someone that has trained and empowered people around the world, I know that how you begin a cycle will determine how you end a cycle. The habits and disciplines you establish now will define your effectiveness and productivity in the days to come. You are destined to do great things in your generation. However, you must have the audacity to push the boundaries of what is possible for your life in 2020 and beyond.
- You must understand that in order to be a pioneer and trailblazer it will come at a high cost to you. A decade ago I set out to start my own business. At the time, I was in my early twenties and I faced so much skepticism and criticism. I was being told by so many people that I did not know what I was doing, my idea would never work and that I was being too ambitious. I realized at that time that I could either listen to the voice of skeptics and critics or I could dare to step out of my comfort zone and jump into the world of entrepreneurship. As a person that refuses to let others set the standards for my life, I decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship and it was challenging. I want you to understand that if you want to do great things in your life then you must understand that you will pay a heavy price for being a pioneer. You will be ridiculed, persecuted, mocked and criticized for going against the grain. However, those that dare to go against the grain are the ones that manifest a life of greatness.
- You must have the courage to forge your own path. Entrepreneurship is risky business. My family and friends love me and support me. However, they did not quite understand my vision and I did not expect them to. I realized that if I was going to do something different, build something different, engineer something different and imagine something different that it was going to take courage. While I could have easily settled for a comfortable and convenient life, I knew I was destined to change the world. So I unleashed the force of courage and the rest is history. I want to be really honest with you for a moment. My business almost collapsed on three different occasions, I was running out of money and I came very close to giving up. However, I had great mentors and advisors in my life that challenged me to keep going. As a result, I was able to turn things around and my business is standing and thriving ten years later. It is one thing to have a vision, dream or goal; however, it is an entirely different thing to have the courage to see your vision, dream or goal become a reality. Courage is taking a leap from the realm of familiarity and daring to step out on faith. Courage will defy logic and reasoning. Courage will empower you to live an uncommon life.
- You cannot break new grounds without perseverance. Everyone looks at my life today and they marvel at my success. However, very few people really understand my journey. Failure is not a barrier to success. In my life, I have discovered that failure is a bridge to success. Failure is what taught me the lessons that empowered me to succeed. I would not be where I am today without perseverance. I had many opportunities to quit and throw in the towel. However, my calling became bigger to me than my circumstances. Destiny spoke to me so loudly that my disappointments were no longer relevant. Fast forward ten years and I have written eight books, appeared on television, contributed to some of the largest media outlets in the world and I have become a highly respected thought leader. When I was facing pressure and opposition, it was difficult to see the possibilities of what my life could become. However, perseverance empowered me to persist until I succeeded. If you are endeavoring to pioneer new territories and blaze new trails, I want you to develop perseverance. Perseverance is the ability to remain focused when the forceful winds of adversity beat up against your life. Perseverance is the ability to remain committed to your destiny in moments of crisis.
- If you want to forge your own path then you must be devoted to the transformation of your mind. If you have followed my work over the years, you know that I have written and spoken extensively about the power of the mind. Honestly, my mind was the key to seeing my dreams become reality. It was not until I started to devote time and energy to transforming my mind that I saw transformation in my life. So many people want to conquer new frontiers but they still have an old paradigm. What I have discovered is that you cannot advance your life with antiquated thinking. You must dare to address your paradigm if you want to advance and fulfill your prophetic destiny. Take the time to address thought patterns and thought processes that threaten the progress of your life. Limitations are often one of the greatest enemies of liberation. You will never produce success without a paradigm shift. Pioneers understand that you have to upgrade your thoughts in order to upgrade your life. When you dare to confront toxic thoughts it becomes the catalyst to transformation. You can have encouragement, positivity, and affirmations but without a developed mind you will never break new grounds or see breakthroughs in your life.