Chance

WARNING: this is a no-edit zone...

"If you want to be successful, you must either have a chance or
take one." --Author Unknown



I came across this quote, read it, read on, and stopped cold, then backed up and read it again. "Ain't it the truth," I mumbled to myself, then went on with the day's duties.

But all during the day, the frank honesty in the quote kept coming back to me. I thought of things I'm currently doing that are, well, risky. I thought of a good friend, who is taking on not one but two new businesses for the sheer love them. I thought of a writer who is leaving a very lucrative niche in her writing for one she feels called to write.

These are acts of faith, yes. But they are also acts of courage. People looking chance in the eye and saying, "Yes, I'm going to risk you for something more."

Some wouldn't agree that courage is involved, but from experience, I have to say that it is. It's easy to change directions when things are awful or not as robust as you'd like. It's easy to change when conditions are not meeting your definition of success. Or when the financial benefits are just not what you need.

Under those types of conditions, the difficult thing would be to not change to better your position.

But in the cases mentioned above, situations are not horrible. Needs are not failing to be met. In the cases above, these individuals have redefined what they want or want to accomplish--their purpose in doing what they're doing. Some are sacrificing income to do it. Others are putting savings on the line. Some are putting their reputation on the table.

When you think about what these people are putting into play, what they're risking, it really makes you think about what has the power to convince you to take these kinds of chances. Not just anything will do; not with risks like these.

I thought about this more and more and continued on with what I was doing, but my mind kept coming back to chances. I've been fortunate in my life, often being presented with the chances I've needed at the time I've needed them. But there have been other times. Ones where I couldn't seem to catch a break with both hands and a net. And yet, in persisting, a chance appeared.

Whether it was created by will and effort or by grace, I can't say. Only that if I hadn't still been seeking it, even though I couldn't see it, I surely would have missed it.

And I guess that's the point in this post. If you need a chance, and one appears, fabulous. If not, don't despair and certainly don't give up. Keep after whatever it is you want enough to take risks. Because a little faith, a little courage, and in those risks, you'll create a chance--or encounter grace.

Either way, that's success.

Blessings,

Vicki