Focus On The Other Side

Life provides some some great examples to guide us in our efforts to succeed.  Today, I want to share a  short story and video that has many examples to show us how to succeed.  This is a recent demonstration of an awesome tightrope walk across Niagara Falls.  While I watched the video one of the statements that struck me was when the tight rope walker says that in order for him to succeed in  this walk he had to focus on the other side.  

Hmmmmm..I thought, this man was crossing over the most spectacular water falls in America and Canada at night, in blinding mist, and with winds swirling and he said focusing on the other side.  What was it on the other side that he focused on I asked myself.  Perhaps it was the warm embrace from his wife and family, the cheering crowd who admired his daring and intestinal fortitude.  Maybe it was his own sense of accomplishment that came from completing a task that had been planned for and rehearsed for many years.  Whatever it was, it was a strong enough focus to get him across.

It is my belief that we will need to display that same level of focus and intensity in our lives to get us across the many tightrope walks we have before us. 

SEE VIDEO 
Man walks over Niagara Falls

Your tightrope walk might be the unsatisfied burning desire to start your own business or to raise your family alone without the help of a spouse.  It could be to win an elected office or accomplish a noteworthy academic achievement.  Whatever it is you must focus on the other side.  Find something that "Melts Your Butter" and focus on that.

In my personal journey I have used pictures to help me focus on the other side.  I have had many business endeavors and as much as I can remember, I always had an end goal in mind.  In one example I would drive by this terrible neighborhood everyday.  A well known slumlord was allowing drugs sales, prostitution and other illicit activity to take place there.  I saw children pass there everyday on their way to school and sometimes they would go in those houses to buy candy and I knew that was just a marketing ploy to establish a customer base for future drug sales.  I made up my mind that my tightrope walk would be to tear down all those houses and bring up new homes with homeowners.

I had to first develop a plan. Get buy in from the community and then go about raising money to make this happen.  It took me 2 years to raise $500,000 to tear down 8 houses and build 5 new ones.  But I never gave up and I stayed focused on the other side.  The other side represented Homeownership for families who were previously living in the projects.  It meant a nice, safe, clean community.  It represented community pride and inspiration for more work to come up the road.

Did I have the fears of the tightrope walker?  Oh, yes.  Were there obstacles along the way.. Absolutely..

But I stayed Focused On The Other Side and you can too.  Whatever you endeavor to do, please stay Focused On the Other Side.  If you do this you will hit your target and land softly and claim your reward.

God Bless.