"The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
For the next few weeks, I will post challenge blogs from posts in winter, spring, summer, and fall. Each of the challenges are weekly challenges that are at the end of each blog. They are important for us to review and make sure we are progressing in our personal development. This first challenge blog includes topics on perseverance, purpose, confidence, thoughts, developing a positive new language, being fearless, and goal-setting.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
"You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
Eleanor Roosevelt
The Perseverance Blog
"The realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm… in the real world all rests on perseverance."
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
My challenge to you is to never give up. We need to continue to learn and grow, so we need to find ways to persevere through life's obstacles. First, we need to look in the mirror and tell ourselves that we will not give up. Second, we need to make a list of people, including ourselves, that would benefit from our success. Finally, we need to persevere, because God has a purpose for our lives. He has something special for us to do, and He does not want us to give up. Whatever we set our minds to, we need to push through the tough obstacles and succeed for God, ourselves, and others.
"We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance."
2 Thessalonians 3:4, 5
"Perseverance, secret of all triumphs."
Victor Hugo
The Purpose Blog
"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction."
John F. Kennedy
My challenge to you is to pursue your purpose each day and be happy with each opportunity, whether big or small, that comes your way. Remember that God has created you for a reason. We need to understand that dreams and gifts usually start small, and we need to develop the dreams and gifts. If it came easy, it wouldn't be a real victory in our lives and we wouldn't learn and grow from the experience.
"For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
Romans 9:17
"There is on quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it."
Napoleon Hill
The Confidence Blog
"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot."
Eleanor Roosevelt
Confidence is an important part of success. The seven steps to gain confidence are believing God has a plan for everyone, changing negative messages to positive messages, setting and reaching goals, becoming a lifelong learner, leaving perfection in the dust, surrounding oneself with positive people, and making a contract with oneself to not give up. These seven steps helped me on my quest for more confidence. Each step builds on the other, which will allow you to build confidence as you implement the steps. My challenge to you is to work on each step and watch your confidence grow.
I John 5:14
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
"Optimism is the faith that loads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence."
Helen Keller
The Thoughts Blog
"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny."
-Unknown
My challenge for our thoughts this week is to switch bad habits with good habits. The way to a successful, exciting life is through our thoughts. In Ephesians 4:22, 23, we read that the Word of God encourages us to constantly renew our mind and attitude. When we renew our minds, we teach and train our minds. If we teach and train our minds, we grow spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and socially. As we grow in all these areas, we get closer to the successful life God designed for each of us.
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control."
II Timothy 1:7
"Our thoughts are what our thoughts make it."
Marcus Aurelius
The Positive New Language
"Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another."
Napoleon Hill
As we use these techniques, we train our minds to think positively and our mouth to speak positively. Once we start building this new vocabulary, we will find ourselves automatically using positive words, even in difficult situations. This week's challenge is to learn this new positive language and banish all negative vocabulary.
"Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it."
Ephesians 4:29
"The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will his world and the world at large."
Confucius
The Fearless Blog
"Avoiding Danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold."
Helen Keller
Fear can be friend or foe. If we let fear rule us, it becomes our enemy. When we use fear to keep us alert and on our toes, we become prepared for any surprises along the way. Life is a journey and can be truly satisfying or unsatisfying. This week's challenge is to find our purpose, be afraid and take action, use our imaginations, and live adventurously. Most of us don't succeed, because we have given into fear. As we use fear to achieve our ultimate goals, success will be at our fingertips.
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control."
II Timothy 1:7
"Freedom lies in being bold."
Robert Frost
The Goal-setting Blog
"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."
Henry David Thoreau
As we meet each goal, the next ones should be more and more challenging. If we don't challenge ourselves, then our lives can become stagnant. It is an amazing feeling to complete one goal and go on to an even tougher and more complicated goal. This creates an adventurous spirit in us that makes life worth living.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13, 14
"When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps."
Confucius
The Anger Blog
"When anger arises, consider the consequences."
Confucius
Three of the steps to anger are discovering we have an anger problem, figuring out why we are angry, and asking God to take away our anger. There are many more ways to help us with anger management, but we need to first focus on the three steps above. This week my challenge is to find where the anger is stemming from and forgive the situation or person once and for all. As we face past or present anger, we need to learn to pray, count, and think of the consequences before we act on our anger. If we learn to control our anger, we will have better relationships and more peace in our lives. Remember, it is our job to become more like Christ. He is slow to anger with us, so we need to learn how to control our anger when dealing with others.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness.
Psalm 103:8
"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured."
Mark Twain
This Weeks Challenge
"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration victory."
George Patton
This week we need to make sure we are continuing our growth. We need to work on perseverance, purpose, confidence, thoughts, using positive language, being fearless, goal-setting, and anger. If we work on these areas of personal development, we will see an increase in our personal development and productivity. Each of the challenges above have a corresponding blog. Below the challenge is a link that will take us to that specific blog.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
"Courage is the human virtue that counts most- courage to act on limited knowledge and insufficient evidence. That's all any of us have."
Robert Frost
To read the complete original blogs posted in the spring click on the links below:
The Perseverance Blog
http://mymondaymaptosuccess.typepad.com/my-monday-map-to-success/2011/12/perseverance.html
The Purpose Blog
http://mymondaymaptosuccess.typepad.com/my-monday-map-to-success/2012/01/purpose.html
The Confidence Blog
http://mymondaymaptosuccess.typepad.com/my-monday-map-to-success/2012/01/confidence.html
The Thoughts Blog
http://mymondaymaptosuccess.typepad.com/my-monday-map-to-success/2012/01/thoughts.html
The Positive New Language
http://mymondaymaptosuccess.typepad.com/my-monday-map-to-success/2012/01/positive-new-language.html
The Fearless Blog
http://mymondaymaptosuccess.typepad.com/my-monday-map-to-success/2012/01/fearless.html
The Goal-setting Blog
http://mymondaymaptosuccess.typepad.com/my-monday-map-to-success/2012/02/goal-setting.html
The Anger Blog
http://mymondaymaptosuccess.typepad.com/my-monday-map-to-success/2012/02/anger.html