Just Lean Into It

Jack Canfield's Success Principle #14

Instead of sitting on the sidelines, deliberating, reflecting, and contemplating, winners make themselves open to opportunities without any guarantees.

(1) Lean into it to create momentum.
When we set a goal, if we lean into it, we will set unseen energy forces in motion. When the universe begins working on our behalf, we begin to meet people and discover opportunities that surprise us.

Today, I want to write about what is happening with a goal that Joe and I chose to pursue. I would like to write books to encourage people to thrive, in spite of their life's circumstances. Joe has always dreamed of sharing his love of God with as many people as possible. We have known for years that this is our purpose, but we have never been able to figure out how to meld the two dreams.

Recently, I leaned into this idea by picking up the phone to call a Small Business Development Center advisor. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was pleasantly surpised by the confidence he exuded about the task. He offered to meet with me one-on-one, and I jumped at the opportunity. Just by leaning into the idea, God set energy and people in motion to help us.

(2) Be willing to start without seeing the whole path.
Jack calls us to be willing to explore what lies ahead of us, even if it is unclear where we may end up. So many people hang back, because of the uncertainty of where life may take them. His advice is to simply start. And once we're on the path, we should just keep taking logical steps in the direction of our dreams.

I had no idea when I met with the business advisor yesterday where this journey would take me. Our objectives are very vague at this point. After talking to this man for an hour, however, the fog began to clear. He laid out a simple plan for incorporating, financing, marketing, and insuring our business. He even gave me an outline for creating a business plan and offered to review it when it was finished. Again, I leaped on the chance for some expert advice, even though we're not entirely sure where all of this will lead.

(3) Roadblocks may be God's way of redirecting us.
Jack warns that we will all encounter obstacles along the way. We must not see them as insurmountable walls that turn us back from achieving our dreams. They are simply problems that we must solve.

At one point, Joe thought that becoming a military chaplain was the way to achieve his dream. But then he met me, and after we married, we decided that moving my three kids around every few years would not be in their best interest. They were struggling with PTSD, and we knew that they needed stability, not uncertainty.

Joe was very distressed by what he thought was the death of his dream. But God had other opportunities in mind for him. Just three years into our marriage, I was sudddenly paralyzed. While in the hospital, Joe looked around and realized that there was an unmet need for spiritual care among the patients and staff. Within months, God opened many doors that led him into hospital chaplaincy. What initally appeared to be a roadblock turned out to be a blessing.

(4) Look for your underlying motivation.
When roadblocks occur that seem to be stopping our forward momentum, we must stop and ask ourselves if we're headed the right way. If we have a goal, but we're beating our heads against a wall over and over, we may need to adjust the way we're trying to achieve it.

I knew before we got married that God was calling us to work together as a team. At one time, we owned a drapery workroom, and I believed that was how we would always work. Boy, was I wrong! Joe hated the tedious attention to detail and the back-breaking installations. He felt completely out of his element, with me trying to teach him what I had known for years. After I got sick, we had to dismantle our business and admit defeat. This left both of us feeling demoralized and confused about working together at anything.

It has taken nearly seven years to get back on track. The Success Principles has helped us to see that our workroom was a roadblock that God used to redirect us. We have set aside our fear of failure and reconsidered our original dreams to help people thrive by sharing the love of Christ with as many as we can.

(5) Keep leaning into it until a clear path appears.
By leaning into our dream to create momentum, we have set ourselves on a path that has not always been clear. There have been many obstacles, but seeing them for what they truly are has cleared away some of the confusion. Meeting with the business advisor has brought us to a point of understanding two things: we will begin with books, seminars, and workshops; and we will eventually open up a retreat center for people who are worn out by the demands of life.

(6) Keep your eyes open for the turning point.
Eventually, something will happen to let us know that we've taken the right path. It may come on the day that we earn more than we ever have, when we are recognized as leaders in our field, or maybe when we send our first retreat center client back out into the world, refreshed and confident that he can thrive because we have shared the love of Christ with him. All of us know what our turning point is. If we keep looking for it, it will eventually occur.

The apostle Paul thought that he was on the right path when he persecuted Christians and had them put to death. Then, God put obstacles in his way: blindness, imprisonment, a shipwreck, and persecution at every turn. Eventually, Paul came to see clearly that he was called to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, and then he must die for Christ. When he reached a turning point in his ministry, he praised God, saying, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Rom 11:33-34)

Today's Challenge
You've given thought to your dreams. It's time to stop deliberating, contemplating, and reflecting now. Lean into your dream and set the unseen energy force in motion today. Make a phone call, sign up for a class, ask questions, volunteer. Do one thing today and keep leaning into it every day until you reach your goal.