Whether it is at work, church, in your community or at home. It is very important that we assume a “no-nonsense” approach to life. This is the kind of approach needed, if we are ought to succeed.
Too often we find ourselves in places that are not healthy for us; whether it is our thought patterns, our friends, our church, our place of employment or other associations. Often, the reason we are in those places is because at some point in our lives we failed to say “no”, we compromised and allowed ourselves to be negatively influenced.
Purpose cannot be achieved if we are unwilling to rise up and set the standard. Setting the standard can cost us “big time”, many times it requires difficult decisions but it is usually worth it. When we are seeking to set the standard in our lives, sometimes our closest affiliates scoff and belittle our efforts, and we are tempted to second guess our decisions. I say to you, forge ahead, once you know why you are alive and your goals are clearly defined, forge ahead, do not be dismayed.
Stand up and be counted, don’t give in to pressure geared at robbing you of your integrity, stand! Don’t give in to pressure that would rob you of a quality life, don’t settle for less, stand! Sometimes it requires us to be silent, to ignore statements made and accusations levied at us, stand! Our societies, at large, are heavily geared towards negative criticisms and the “pulling down” mentality.
One of our battlegrounds is often our work environment, if you are seeking to achieve excellence, to STAND, you are often faced with opposition; older employees who feel threatened can try to intimidate you or make your life miserable. I say to you, stand your ground, be assertive and conquer, overcome and SHINE.
Standing can be difficult at first; it is for the daring and the brave, for those who would not settle for mediocrity. You may have compromised in the past, but you can resolve to standing now and in the future. Tell yourself that nothing would stop you from achieving your God-Given Purpose! Analyse life and seek to find areas where you are not standing, areas where you have failed to be consistent, or unstable, areas where you have communicated mixed messages to others. Standing can be lonely, but to reach that goal, you need to be able to see the bigger picture, you need to see beyond the comfort of your friends. Stand even though it means standing alone at times, this is the only way you can be distinct, unique and purposeful.
