Its very rare that i get into the whole "blogging" thing but here I am! I've been thinking a lot about everything from my future to how the heck spray cheese works (I still haven't figured it out by the way). And its really hit me that when it comes to making the most out of life its all about faith, or at least that's where it starts. That sounds extremely cliche and way cheesy but its true. I think we often times thinking of "faith" as though we're not sure about something but we're going to do it anyway and hope it turns out. That's not faith at all. Faith is defined as a hope for something "not seen, but true." You can't have faith in something that isn't real or that isn't right. You can feel a difference when you are motivated by faith in something rather than your own want to make it happen. I don't say that as a way of saying you shouldn't desire success but only to point out that it is important that one ensures their dreams are on course with what is true or right and not half-baked or misplaced.
I use this concept as the preface for this blog about how its easy to settle for something good instead of going after something great. I don't think we really have any idea what each of us is capable of accomplishing in life, so many things that can be real or true -if we have faith. God works miracles according to the faith of His children. No faith = no miracles, its that simple. Luke 1:37 says "For with God, nothing shall be impossible." Why then is it so easy to settle for mediocrity? I caught myself recently after being really excited about a possible career and thinking I couldn't handle the class-load it would require -that's stupid. No one puts limits on what we can accomplish other than ourselves. I heard the quote once that "It is better to aim for the stars than to aim for a pile of [manure] and hit it" (quote wording altered slightly). I know I am guilty of setting my standards too low of what I want to accomplish and I'm going to do better at that. I hope no one else has the same problem.
I think its also important to note that we should be motivated to excel for the right reasons. Not by pride or competition but a desire to really accomplish that which you can't see physically, only with an "eye of faith" but is true. There is a huge difference in wanting to succeed so that people will notice you or give you praise and seeking to accomplish something difficult simply because you know its not impossible and its what you need to do. Being motivated by the praise of others or the desire to beat someone else isn't faith, its the opposite: pride. Faith is reaching outward, pride is looking inward.
Lastly, seeing miracles happen in any aspect in your life is only possible if you have faith and that faith needs to be properly based in order to withstand all that seems to pop up out of nowhere to prevent you from reaching a goal. That base that can withstand anything is Jesus Christ. We always hear about how He "took upon our sins and died for us through the Atonement" but what does that mean and why the heck is Alex talking about this in his late-night ranting about goals? Our Savior took upon our sins, mistakes, discouragement, pains, sorrows -everything unfair about life- so that we can overcome it -if we want to. Without Jesus Christ stepping in as our Mediator and making up for these imperfections we would have no hope of accomplishing anything other than failure. But if we have faith, specifically faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, and recognize that we can make up for mistakes and see miracles happen, that can propel us into making the "impossible" become reality.
However, "faith without works is dead." It is not enough to know that something is possible. The proper plans, actions, and accountability need to be put in place to make a dream be visible by the physical eye -otherwise it is nothing more than a good idea. Setting a goal that you have faith in but not acting to achieve it is just as useful as a starving person knowing there is food in the pantry but doesn't walk the 10 feet through the kitchen to get it. Just remember that "If you do what you've always done then you'll get what you've always gotten." To achieve something you have never accomplished before means you will need to do things you have never done before. Change is hard, but necessary. It can be scary but being afraid is not being faithful. The benefits that come from making proper changes to reach a goal far out way any awkwardness or insecurity felt at first.
Gordon B. Hinckley said "The Lord would want you to be successful." Its up to each of us to make that happen.
