“You cannot consistently perform in a manner which is inconsistent with the way you see yourself.” 

― Zig Ziglar 

Close your eyes and visualize your individual performance this week. Picture everything about each  day;  as it unfolded, your role in it, how you “saw” yourself perform. 

Then picture the outcome. 

Make exercising this kind of vision intentional. A practice that is meant to create “deja vu”.   Placing yourself vividly within the event even before it all  played out. 

By envisioning your future performance, you  establish an indelible image; a benchmark of sorts. 

By creating that pre-event expectation level and performance, you will help yourself stay “on script”. The reality of your effort and execution will rise to the level of that vision you hold of yourself. 

What you picture for yourself affirms who “you” are now – and – foretells what you can choose to become. You can control the clarity and the image. And “how you see yourself” will touch every aspect of your life. 

You are truly the person you choose to “see”. 

The one that ultimately has to perform, achieve and succeed within the vision you created.

So you can truly see yourself.

“I know of no such unquestionable badge and ensign of a sovereign mind as that of tenacity of purpose…”

  – Ralph Waldo Emerson 

You will confront adversity.   

At the moment, It may seem a substantial mass. And without exercising your due diligence, discernment and discipline, perceptions of this moment could become distorted. 

Leadership is the lens through which these times must be viewed. And it is first and foremost, a choice. An instrument wholly guided from within. Sovereign to each and every one of you. Reflected by your tenacity of purpose. 

So never grant rationalization the responsibility to determine the outcome of any situation. 

Do not cede the treasured asset of risk for “status quo.” 

Nor forsake an opportunity for excellence in exchange for a pedestrian existence. 

Bold actions and big pictures demand committed, consistent effort. And dreams are meant to be hard and take too damn long. All are a part of this test. 

To see if the mass of a moment will intimidate you into inertia. 

But you can always choose to be an irresistible force, and move the immovable. Win the moment. Seize the day. 

Uphold your sworn and sovereign duty. 

With a tenacity of purpose.

“Self-discipline is a form of freedom. Freedom from laziness and lethargy, freedom from the expectations and demands of others, freedom from weakness and fear and doubt . “

– H.A. Dorfman 

Too often, we tend to view self discipline as a control measure.

As a means of reining in growth, opportunity and ultimately – freedom.  

But that cannot be further from the truth. 

Self discipline consists entirely of achieving self mastery. Embracing a tack towards intention.  To do the right thing no matter the circumstance. A trait gained when you refuse to give in.

Whether to doubt, fear, the unknown,  just plain fatigue, self pity or having an off day. 

Self discipline is the catalyst of a life well lived. Energizing the ability to stay on task and see things all the way through. 

With the utmost  intention. 

So that you can ultimately achieve,  freedom. 

“To accomplish anything worthwhile, you must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice.”

― John Burroughs

Nothing in life that is worthwhile will come easy. 

You have to work for those things that you truly want. Yet work cannot be narrowly defined as only an effort in a physical sense. Duty. Routine. Assignment. Work is also more so a mental, emotional and spiritual endeavor as well. 

Achievement, excellence and success is never a matter of destiny, fate, timing or being in the right place at the right time. For that would mean that we live by chance and what is given rather than being guided by intention. To live solely by chance would negate the value and virtue of your effort and commitment. Your perseverance and sacrifice. And ultimately, your purpose. 

In order to “be” or “become” – you first need to intend to “be” or “become”. 

To be purposeful in your thoughts, words and deeds. To live with intention – and intentionally – is to be guided by purpose. There will always be a price to pay if you live with intention if you are purposeful in all that you do. You will have to “give up” and “surrender” in order  to “go up” and become “victorious”. You will need to leave some – or maybe all of who and what you “are” behind  – in order to get to where you want to go and who you wish to be. 

To be what and who you want to become requires sacrifice. 

And this is never an  easy proposition. 

Rest assured that the suffering you inevitably encounter along the way – whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual in nature – will only be temporary. You are simply giving up comfort for the moment, familiarity of the circumstance and the certain in your mind  in order to press ahead, grow and become what you were intended to be. 

When you pay the price, you are “trading up”.

And after all, wasn’t that always your intention?

Adversity was never designed to be an “if”, but only and always a “when” event.  

Regardless of the meticulous nature of one’s preparation, the sacrifice that has been offered up or the character of the individual putting forth the effort, adversity will appear.  Seemingly random in its appearance or somehow timed to parallel a crowning moment.  

Therein lay its purpose. 

Adversity exists to gauge one’s mettle across the entire personal spectrum; physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Never is it meant to designate one’s value, status or position.  

Question effort, intent or commitment.  

Or qualify that moment as an “it was never meant to be”, “I really didn’t deserve this anyways” or “I really didn’t want this” occurrence.  

Those types of reactions are purely of one’s own making. To save face. Restore ego.  Shrug off impact.  Diminish circumstances.  Such responses are created in such a way as to allow one-self to skirt the absolute truth of the matter.  To excuse. Deflect. Avoid. Ignore.  And prepare one not only an escape route from failure, but from ever trying to overcome that the next time it will happen.

Adversity merely seeks to draw one’s attention to a particular aspect of the present, in order to reveal what more is needed of oneself in the future.  Identify where there is capacity to learn.  To grow.  Develop.  And change for the better. 

So embrace this lesson for what it really is. 

Lean into what it is genuinely offering. 

 And allow it to teach you what will be needed of you in the days, weeks, months and years to come.  

Yes, it stings right now.  

Yet all that has been born out of it will have positive outcomes. The potential to effect lasting change.  To reach another level.  Achieve.  And ultimately, succeed.  

If only you can see it for what it really is; an opportunity. 

Adversity is merely a vision test.  

So you can understand where you were and see what you can ultimately become.