52 STEPS: Step 4: HAVING FAITH IN A RESOLUTION

Step 4: HAVING FAITH IN A RESOLUTION

“Some things have to be believed to be seen” – Ralph Hodgson

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HAPPY NEW YEAR! Have you made out your New Year’s resolutions? Wait a minute – if you’re reading this now, it isn’t even January, we're past that, right? Well then you’ve already set those resolutions, are on track to accomplish those goals and move on to new ones. Or did you reach those goals? Are you still working on those goals? Have some of those goals went along with wayside? Do you need to have a New Year to set your sights on what is available?

The reason so many people set their resolutions on January 1 is that it’s a new year, a new beginning and new fresh start! We look to take that time and wash way the old and faulty. Most of us are in the habit of setting a resolution at the beginning of a new year. Most of us never stick to these resolutions!?

It is usually the practice when setting a resolution to give up something, to rid ourselves of those things we enjoy in over-abundance. We rely on our ability to deny! Webster’s dictionary gives us the definition of a resolution as the act or process of reducing to simpler form. I really like this idea! How simple to simply simplify. Take what ever task we have laid out in front of us, analyze that complex notion and break-it into simpler tasks. A good friend of mine was just telling me the other day she is working hard to work smarter, not just harder. She is finding ways to make things easier. The point to remember here is, as we take the path to find new ways to make things simply, we might have a little extra work and effort at the beginning while we try new things, implement new ideas or train others that can help us down the road.

How far away 365 days can be. I know there are some with the 52 Step Process that have read it, but already set it down and gone on to other things. They lost sight, desire, determination, dedication to follow through on 52 simple steps that would have made a huge impact on how they live their life. How simple it is to follow an assignment, task, goal that you set for yourself for one day. Take that one day, follow it with the next, add another day and another until you have put together your year. Sounds easy?

We know on paper it is, sitting in your comfy chair it’s a cake walk, in reality it’s a little harder. So what’s the secret? Pure and simple – FAITH! Faith, making an allegiance to duty. In the Texas Rangers Baseball locker room at the Ball Park in Arlington, Texas there is (or was) a sign that says, “Faith – Being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see!” With faith, you can set your sights on your destination, and know the goal you have set you will be able to obtain. See yourself there, grabbing the gold ring and making your vision become a reality.

There is a story of a little boy that goes to church with his family and on that day, the sermon was on sin. The pastor, in his sermon talks about leading a life of no sin. On the way home, in the car, the young lad proclaims to his family, “I’m never gonna sin!”. The family smiles and the father tells the son, “That is a great idea, but pretty hard to accomplish – Jesus was the only one that went his whole life without sinning”. After hearing this, the little boy sits back, and being a pretty smart young man, comes up with a new plan and explains, “Well then, I’m not gonna sin for a year!”. Everyone smiles and again, the father says to the son how hard that challenge can be. So the little boy, things for another few minutes and says, “Then I’m not gonna sin for a month!”. Again, the father says that is a great goal – but may be hard to accomplish. The little boy asks his dad if he things he could go a week without sinning. The father says he might, but that is still a long time to go with being “perfect”. The little boy then says he will go a day without sinning. Again, the father says what a great goal that is, and they hope he can be able to achieve that lofty goal. Finally, in disappointment, frustration and a little bit of angry, the little boy asks, “DAD, DO YOU THINK I CAN GO ONE MINUTE WITHOUT SINNING?!” With this, the father says, with a big smile, “Yes, I’m sure you can go one minute without sinning!” With that, the little boy sits back in his seat and has his own grin on his face and exclaims, “THEN I’M GONNA LIFE MY LIFE MINUTE BY MINUTE”!! Out of the mouth of babes!!

As the year progresses, you will encounter road blocks, stop signs, detours and other “traffic” that may slow you down or even get you to the point that you want to stop your journey., just like the detours the little boy encountered. When you find yourself up against one of these hazards, stop, step back and find your faith. Find whatever it is in you that made you give that allegiance to your task in the first place. Rekindle the fire and KEEP AFTER YOUR DESTINATION – KEEP THE FAITH. No one ever got anywhere standing still or stopping their journey.

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Take out the goal you’ve set for yourself. This is the goal you laid out when you went to see your mentor. Examine the goal and, on another sheet of paper, make two columns. In one column, put down the obstacles that could come up during the process of reaching that goal. Maybe you’re looking at losing weight. You might put down holidays, family gatherings, vacations, or even moods or events that seem to trigger emotions that get you off track. With putting in time with the community group, you might put down work commitments, travel, family events or other activities that might take you away from your ability to donate your time and effort to what you want to do.

Now take that list and along the second column write out how you will deal with the ituation that comes up. Make a disaster plan before the problem arises. In Rudolph Giuliani’s book, “Leadership”, he writes a whole chapter on the topic “Prepare Relentlessly”. He states that preparation was the single most important key to success, no matter what field! He believes it was planning and preparation done long before 9/11 that allowed New York to handle the disaster like they did. Problems will come up – that you can bet on. The way you handle those events will determine your success. Plan now. Your on your diet and know you’re having a party. On your list you’ve written down to get in extra exercise the days leading up to the party, really get strict with what you’re eating a few days before, and at the party you’ll limit yourself to the AMOUNT of what you eat and drink – but not WHAT you eat and drink. By having a plan in place and working the plan, you’ll develop the faith in yourself that you can reach your destination and that you had the resolve to stick to your resolution!