| By Kerry Daigle
Kerry Daigle is a contributing writer for
Bonnes Nouvelles publication. You can read more about the good
people and news at Bonnes Nouvelles @ their website www.ilovegoodnews.com.
 |
| Kerry Daigle and George Foreman |
Obstacles are opportunities in disguise!
by Kerry Daigle
Tommy’s mother called out to him at six thirty in the morning, “Tommy,
get up. It’s time for school.” There was no answer.
She yelled at him again but this time in a much louder voice, “Tommy,
get up! It’s time for school!” Again, Tommy did not
answer. A little aggravated, she went to his room and shook him
saying, “Tommy, it’s time for school.”
Tommy answered back, “Mom, I’m not going to school
today. There are 1000 kids at that school and every one of them
hates me. I made up my mind…I am not going today!”
Tommy’s mother replied quickly and in a stern voice, “YOU
WILL GO TO SCHOOL!”
Tommy being the ‘favorite son’ tried again and answered, “Mom,
you don’t understand! All the teachers hate me, too! I saw
a group of them the other day and they were pointing their fingers
at me. I know they were talking about me and all hate me, Mom,
so I am not going to school!”
By this time, Tommy’s mother was really frustrated! She
answered back in a sharper tone, “GET… TO… SCHOOL!”
“Mom,” he answered, “ I just don’t understand
you at times. Why would you want to put me under so much embarrassment
and torment?”
She answered quickly, “There are two reasons, Tommy, first
you are forty-five years old, and secondly, you are the principal”.
There are many of us who, on some days, have felt like Tommy and
did not want to enter in the next day “Life” brought
to us. It seems so easy to skip out on facing challenges that
lay ahead in this game of “life” we play everyday.
Life is about ‘growing’ not just ‘surviving’.
Life is ‘school’ and we are its ‘students’.
To experience life at its fullest we must be challenged everyday
so we can have accomplishments that will live on as experiences
to pass on to our children and others seeking advice from us.
George Foreman was asked one time why, at his mid forties, he
continued to train 5 to 7 hours a day when no one in history had
ever won a Heavyweight Championship at that age. He would respond, “Because
I think I am getting better and much wiser”. Of course, George
went on, as we know, to become the ‘oldest’ fighter
in boxing history to go and win the Heavyweight Championship of
the World by knocking out Michael Moorer, who had defeated Evander
Holyfield for the championship. George accomplished this while
in his mid-forties. The oldest figher in history at that time to
win a HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP was Jersey Joe Walcott who
had done so at the age of 37. Again, when asked what his key to
success was, George would give a quote from the great Prime Minister
Winston Churchill, “Never give up. Never,never, give up”.
Successful people have a history of turning defeat into victory
and failure into success through a little more effort, a little
more positive thinking, and little more persistence. Failure doesn’t
exist when you keep trying. Only within yourself can you be defeated.
Successful people are made stronger through adversity, obstacles,
and frustration. They always “keep punching” when they
are knocked down. They get up and believe they will win under any
obstacles. They believe ‘obstacles’ are nothing more
than ‘opportunities’ disguised as ‘problems’.
No one can steal their dreams……not their friends, not
their family, nor any envious business associates or competitiors.
There have always been times in every successful person’s
life where the chores of ‘business’ and ‘work’ seemed
too challenging. I know. I’ve been there. No job, no money,
business in bankruptcy, bills to be paid, family to support, friends
abandoning you because of your ‘lows’ in life. As I
look back today all these challenges have become actually fields
of diamonds waiting for the harvest. Sometimes life brings you
career changes that in reality are advantages or opportunities
for you to achieve success in another arena. Some people look at
these challenges and changes as defeat. It is how you take the
challenge that makes the difference. Today God has blessed me with
business throughout the world working 30 plus countries with Juice
Plus, and the opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds
in personal development, nutrition, writing, and public speaking.
This all happened after a devastating bankruptcy.
Now here is the biggest challenge once you have achieved some
degree of success. You will have a tendency to be a teacher only
and forget to remain a student when you are not teaching. That
is when your ‘successes’ could dissolve right in front
of you without your knowledge. You need to be certain to continue
doing the things that brought you the successes you achieved and
not change any of your actions.
Zig Ziglar, the famous motivational speaker, has always said it
best, “ Be more concerned about the success of others around
you and success will ultimately be yours,” and as Paw Paw
Daigle always said, “Don’t forget where you come from.
That could always be your biggest downfall. Remember, who you are
and be proud of your background, education or no education.” Well,
I’m Cajun and I am going to continue to let the world know
about Cajun-Country and about Maw Maw and Paw Paw Daigle.
Before closing here is a sketch of Abraham Lincoln’s Road
to Success:
• 1831—failed in business
•
1832—defeated for Legislature
•
1833—Second failure in business
•
1836—Suffered nervous breakdown
•
1838—Defeated for Speaker
•
1840—Defeated for Elector
•
1843—Defeated for Congress
•
1848—Defeated for Congress, again.
•
1855—Defeated for Senate
•
1856—Defeated for Vice-President
•
1858—Defeated for Senate
•
1860—ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
What’s your next move? I’m Kerry Daigle. KEEP
PUNCHING!
|
Photo
Gallery
