Recognizing Commitment and Hard Work

A couple of days ago, I commented on Michael Phelps setting 7 Olympic records and winning a record 8 gold medals. Although my point was correct, I should have given Michael more credit for the years of training, commitment and effort he put in.

What Michael has accomplished is phenomenal. I never intended to take that away from him, but here I want to commend him for it. He found something that he does well, enjoys doing and can use as a springboard to other great achievements in life. Whether he becomes a professional swimming coach, athletic coach, businessman or entrepreneur or whatever, he will do well because he understands the importance of finding your dream, working on it, believing in it even when you seem to be failing and not quiting.

The difference between a person who succeeds and one who fails is that the one who succeeds never quits. Zig Ziglar says that everything is worth doing wrong until you get it right. Michael didn't get eight gold medals four years ago when he first tried in the Olympics. So he went home, did some sizeable body and strength building, practiced harder and tried again. His name will go down with Mark Spitz and many others who have achieved because they didn't quit.

What's that to you? Everyone reading this blog has a dream. Some feel so defeated, or say it's too late, that you won't even try to achieve it. Some may try a little bit but not be willing to work hard enough to gain the reward. A few may get a lucky break and walk right into their dream. Some will find a new dream that is better suited to them than what they had sought before.

I will make one more truthful and very important statement. If your dream doesn't honor Jesus Christ directly or indirectly, it will matter little in what really matters in life.

I pray that you already realize the dream in you that God has given you. I pray that God will direct your path and that you will perservere to achieve the success that He desires for you and that you desire and deserve (by this world's standards). Most of all, keep doing it for Jesus.