Where Is The Faith At?

This is something that I have definitely struggled with in the past and am gaining more of day by day. Faith, or lack of essentially, in my opinion is one of the biggest hold ups in dream achieving in this world. It is the ugly sister of fear. Lack of Faith and fear go hand in hand when it comes to a failed vision. In the sixth verse of the twelfth chapter of the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Moroni states: "Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen." So plain and simply put, when you have faith in your goals or your dream, you hope or know that they will eventually become a reality. I know just as well as you do because I am of flesh and blood just as you are that doubts do exist. And they become so strong sometimes it may never seem to be as promising to finish something as it did when you first thought of the idea or even started it. I promise though that if you have faith, strong Faith, a strong conviction that whatever your goal may be, big or small, will in fact become a reality. In that some verse Moroni finishes by saying, "wherefore, dispute not because ye see not for ye recieve no witness until after the trail of your faith." Please keep in mind that things will not be easy; life isn't easy. But I can testify that with Faith, anything is possible. Let that Faith sink deep into your heart until it becomes a strong conviction. Let it grow with every step you take and every little goal you accomplish and do not let anyone or anything shake that Faith. If it so happens that your Faith is tested, let it come out strong by remembering why you started in the first place. Faith, the knowledge that anything can and will happen should never be taken away from you in any form. Hold strong to it and let it propel you to success.

Make Your Own Luck

Ever since I saw Rob Dyrdek from MTV's Fantasy Factory wear a Long Tee representing these words, I have been thinking of the importance and truthfulness of the statement. I first want to touch on a little bit of what "luck" is, what it means. In the Third Edition of the Websters New World College Dictionary it defines luck as, 1.The seemingly chance happening of events that effect someone; fortune, fate. 2. Good fortune, success, advantage. To me, when I hear the word I think of the second definition. I believe luck or good luck gives you an advantage in some way. You find a twenty dollar bill on the sidewalk. You win a prize in a drawing or you find the perfect, closest parking space. I also believe that we can create this so called "luck." We can create these advantages. We shouldn't have to wait on fate and have luck come to us, we have to go to it. No longer can we wait, for we will die waiting. We need to act now and make it happen. According to the Law of Attraction like attracts like, good or evil. If we are constantly creating opportunities for ourselves, more and more opportunities will arise. Why is it that wealthy individuals seem to always, even when unwanted, have work wanting them while the poverty ridden person cant even get past the first interview if that? It is because of their state of mind... which leads me to my next point. How can create this opportunities for ourselves? How can we put ourselves into an advantage? How can we bring upon ourselves "good luck?" Going along with the Law of Attraction, we need to have gratitude in our hearts. We need to be grateful! How does this help? When you appreciate the little things, your life tends to be in greater harmony. Your happier, therefore things tend to go well, thus creating that advantage. Like attracts like. When your ungrateful or negative towards life and your unappreciative, you notice when things go wrong more than they do right. You will not notice opportunities, you close those doors. With an open mind and a grateful heart, those windows of opportunity open and more blessings pour into our lives. It is at this moment we start to create our own luck. Honestly, to me there is no such thing as luck, only opportunities for an advantage, which we can create daily. Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery. You have to take hold of today and create opportunity for yourself.

A thousand mile journey starts with just one step...

How many people in this world do you think end up doing exactly what they wanted to? How many? How many people do you think live with no regrets, those who say, "I am where I am today because I wanted to be. I am exactly where I want to be right now and I love it!" How many? Are you one of them? Do you always wonder what you could've done? Have you thought, "man, if I only could be doing what my absolute passion is." well sadly, only 5% of the population fall into this category. Those who end up doing exactly what they wanted to. So why them? Are they lucky? They were just born with better opportunities then you were weren't they? How else could they actually be doing what they've always wanted? Would you like to know something crazy? Your going to freak out but guess what? Did you know they breath air? just like you do.. They have families! Like you do.. and they have a dream, just like you do. So what do these so called blessed people have that I don't? Why do they get to triumph in victory of their dream while I sit at my desk turning in yet another useless report? Brace yourself, I'm about to tell you a secret that will blow your mind. It's so valuable, no amount of money can be traded for it... All they have done differently from the rest of the population is ACT. That is all they did. While you sit at your desk or behind the cash register, she is making phone calls. While you go home saying "my job sucks," he is talking to people, making friends. People that can help him excel closer to his dream, his goal. They are doing whatever it takes! Why are they acting? why do you sit, idle, claiming you have a dream when you have done nothing to push towards it? You do want it don't you? Of coarse you do? So why aren't you acting? What are you afraid of? Not making enough money? People telling you it will never happen? The criticism of others? failing? A true champion, a winner is not afraid of any of those things because they don't matter when it comes to something they would die for. Their passion, their dream. If you put your all into your dream. your whole life, money will come. People will always tell you that it will never happen. This is because nothing has ever and never will happen for them because they will never act. They are Idle, you are not. You will fail when going for your dream, many times - but because of these failures and your ability to overcome them, you will be stronger and more powerful. It is not surprising who has a dream of even claims to eventually accomplish it, it is surprising who actually acts and accomplishes what they set their sights out to be. Someone who said they are going to do something and do it, even with all the criticism, the minor short comings of failure, the fear, they still come out on top victorious, true champions. It is scary. It is intimidating to start but a thousand mile journey starts with just one step. Ill give you an example of a champion who had a goal, took action and now does exactly what he loves because of that decision to act.

Ken Block has always been a car enthusiast for as long as he can remember and has been a fan of racing since he was young. Kens love of driving started when he was young when he would "borrow" the parents cars and started performing numerous reckless stunts like jumping and sliding them around. When Ken got a little older he bought a VW GTI and drifted it around in the snow while he lived in the mountains as a snowboard bum. When DC sponsored freestyle motocross superstar Travis Pastrana, Travis tried his hand at rally racing. Ken ensured DC's support of his rally efforts. In doing so Ken seized the opportunity to fulfill his own personal dream and passion for rally racing, and began training for the professional circuit.

In 2005, Ken gave Travis and the rest of the rally circuit some unexpected competition. Block's rigorous rally training with Vermont SportsCar ensured strong finishes at nearly every rally he entered. Long story short, in just that rally season he won numerous medals and was earned the Rookie of the Year honors. Pretty amazing since he started training professionally in October 2004 and won his first national race in January 2005. Since then he has earned countless medals and has performed crazy stunts such as jumping his Subaru 171 feet for the Discovery Channel show Stunt Junkies. Hes drivin a modified version of that car on my snow covered slops, riding along side snowboarders and countless other stunts. Ken new what he wanted and took advantage of an opportunity that has sent him doing everything he has ever dreamed. Ken states, "I have a beautiful wife, two kids and I love what I do, what more can I ask for?"

Look inside your hearts. Meditate even. Do some serious self-evaluation and find out what your dream is. Then make a plan on how your going to get there and start now! Realizing there will be speed bumps. But the more you hit the more you adapt and the smoother the ride will get. Also remember, your Father in Heaven loves you and cares about your interests and passions. If you lost your Teddy bear and was heart-broken, He too would be heart-broken because he knows how much you love that stuffed little friend. Ask Him for help! Your dream is his dream and He will help guide you on your pathway to success. He wants each and every one of us to be happy and successful so he will do all he can to help. You just have to ask and listen.

I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you my dream in hopes to inspire someone or motivate or even inspire someone to not be afraid to have a dream. I do this expecting criticism, even embracing it. As you can tell by the cars and the short story on Ken that It is my ultimate dream, my passion to become a professional Rally Driver. I want to race in Rally events in those 500+ Hp Dirt machines. It is for this very reason that Ken Block is one of my idols. He wanted it so bad that he now has it. It may be a far out dream just as yours may be but I have a burning desire to achieve this and that's all I need. Just as you do once you have a goal, a chief aim and a burning desire to accomplish it. It will come, you just have to act.

We also need to lift each other up and push each other toward our dreams in a positive manner. Be the person that always knew they could do it, not just after the fact.

I know you have a dream and with the country we live in, you have the right to accomplish it and be successful. So do it! Start now! You could be on your way to doing what you love. You just have to act.