When you wish upon a star,
makes no difference who you are,
anything your heart desires will come to you.
– Cliff Edwards, Disney Studio Chorus
We live in interesting times. Throughout history, there’s always been the great silent masses and the important few: notable others who were the rulers, and the sprinkling of artists, inventors, theologians, and others. The ones we read about in the history books. Today, thanks to the internet, cell phones, and social media, the silent masses are silent no more ... everybody who’s anybody has a voice and a message and they are all clamoring to get heard and seen. 15 minutes of fame. Lots of competition. And here I am, too! Yikes! I guess even I have joined the fray!
The problem is that we've made true success look easy and cheap. An afternoon in the back yard with a cat, a trampoline, and a video camera (a PHONE??!!), and a million likes and thumbs up on the internet ... and we're successful! We're celebrities!
And we think that means something. It probably does, but I suspect that what it really means is not what was hoped for ...
True success isn't easy. It's not likely to be achieved in an afternoon. You can't wish it or dream it and have it magically happen. You will likely endure a bit of suffering while pursuing success, by sacrificing time and resources, and working long and hard when you'd rather be doing something else. And you can be wildly successful, and the world may not even notice or acknowledge it. True success will not be measured by how many likes it got, or how many eyeballs saw the video.
So on this Thanksgiving week, while looking forward to holidays with friends and family, and a fresh new year ahead, take some time out to reflect and dream. Dreaming doesn't get the task done, but it'll get you started on a path and keep you going on those days when you'll want to quit.
Whether you're building a business or building a family ... getting a degree, or writing the next great novel ... building a ministry that will impact lives, or maybe you simply want to be there for a friend who's struggling ... however you define success ... my prayer is that you will achieve it.
Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!