How easily do you throw in the towel when things get tough?
Do you make excuses to quit? Maybe you use your kids as a reason to quit school or not start at all. Maybe you use your finances as a crutch. Maybe your personality is bent on saying NO, playing it safe and basking in comfort. Maybe you just don’t have a purpose that fuels you to the next battle or risk or goal.
Meet Sir Adrian Corton De Wiart. He was born in 1880 in Belgium. It was rumored that he was the illegitimate son of Leopold II, the Belgian king. His mother died when he was six years old. He lied about his age to serve in the British army in South Africa.
Sir Adrian was:
*shot twice in the stomach and leg
*shot in face and ear in WWI and lost his eye
*shot in hand and lost his fingers in a battle
*in another skirmish he was shot in skull and ankle
*shot in hip
*shot in leg
*shot in ear again
*survived a plane crash
*rescued and put in a war camp where he dug a tunnel for 7 months
*he escaped and pretended to be a dirty, disabled peasant for 8 days at the age of 61
*got recaptured and let go because, “He was a pain in the butt.”
*selected to be Churchill’s aide where he was attacked on two trains
*his car convoy was also attacked
*finally retired and passed away peacefully at age 83
Sir Adrian said, “Frankly, I have enjoyed the war.”
A military historian, Lt Col James Cook, described Carton de Wiart as leading from the front and always inspiring his men to follow him.
Leading from the front was one of Sir Adrian’s qualities. He guided men to the target because he was sure of the goal and the path. He had a positive influence on their trajectory. You, also, influence people whether you want to or not because people are watching you. Sir Adrian had so much passion for his cause he lied, he was shot over 10 times, he was in a plane crashes and a prisoner of war.
What is your breaking point? Is there a point where you say, “That is enough!” Have you already welcomed that point and given up in some area of your life? Have you given up on forgiving? Maybe your beginning was not ‘normal’ and it breaks your spirit. I encourage you to even challenge what your idea of normal is and where you adopted that idea. Normal is what you make it.
To help you hone in on your purpose and make goals, plan on taking my course called Goal Planning. It is a short course to get you started on your way to living in your purpose everyday and enjoying your journey. Check it out in the Store. I want to help you clarify before you get to your breaking point.
