You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. –John Adams

As those of us in the United States prepare to celebrate Independence Day, it is a perfect time to  honor our Founding Fathers who made this freedom possible.  George Washington.  John Adams.  Alexander Hamilton.  These men (to name a few!) occupy a hallowed place in the annals of American History.

Yet our Founding Fathers were, for the most part, Average Joe’s!  They had some education and some previous political experience,  but they were not the wealthiest or most respected professionals in their field.

They didn’t have life all figured out.  In fact, they failed more than they succeeded.  But they never stopped pushing forward.  They had conviction in their moral beliefs and passion for their cause.  And they weren’t intimidated by anyone standing in their path.

And shouldn’t we all take that same approach in our professional and personal lives?

Confidence Allows Ordinary People To Accomplish the Extraordinary

In our work lives, we can be our own worst enemy.  When self-doubt creeps in, it can have a detrimental impact on our development.  We start comparing ourselves to others.  And that is dangerous!

There will always be people in our field who have accomplished incredible feats.  Legendary entrepreneurs.  Brilliant trial lawyers.  Ground-breaking teachers and coaches. Rain-making sales professionals.  Transcendent writers and musicians.  How can we possibly compete with these luminary figures?  How can we possibly reach their level of greatness?  Who are we to even try?

This is  limited thinking!  The most accomplished and revered professionals start out with the same basic set of tools as the rest of us.  Very few people are born with extraordinary talents that set them apart at birth.  Greatness is accomplished over time through hard work, perseverance, and yes, resilience! 

Ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things every day!  Like our Founding Fathers, these people don’t have life all figured out.  But they passionately believe in their mission and they are not afraid to try new approaches.  They not only dare to dream.  They dare to fail.  And then they dare to try again.

We cannot let the triumphs of others paralyze our own development.  Remember, success is a journey with several small steps along the path.  Unless we have confidence in our own ability, we will never reach our ultimate destination.  And unless we are willing to fail and try new approaches, we will never be able to maximize our God-given potential.

Success in Our Personal Life is a Reflection of Hard Work

The same is true in our personal lives.  Sometimes, it can seem as if everyone else has it figured out and we are the only ones who are struggling.  How can we possibly maintain that healthy a marriage?  How can we possibly be that good a parent?  How can we possibly go out with someone that far above our pay grade?  The reality is there is no limiting criteria for these accomplishments.  Anyone can do it!

A healthy marriage consists of two ordinary people who work hard to set aside their differences for the common good of the family.  Good parents fail over and over again in the midst of raising their children.  No relationship can start unless someone steps out on a ledge and takes a chance.  It doesn’t take incredible skill to succeed in your personal life.  It only takes effort and a willingness to fail until you get it right.

We Cannot Settle For a Life Below Our Potential

But failure becomes permanent when we stop moving forward.  Failure becomes permanent when we believe we will never rise above our current circumstances.  Failure becomes permanent when we resign ourselves to a life below our potential.

Resiliency is not about blind confidence.   Resiliency is born when, even in defeat, we believe we are still capable of success.

Resilience Wins Out In the End

Our Founding Fathers did not set out to change history.  They did not set out to be iconic heroes.  In fact, they were ordinary citizens who could have easily given up when times got tough.  And times got really tough!

But if they stopped believing in themselves, there would be no baseball, hot dogs, or apple pie.

Through their resilience, our Founding Fathres were able to accomplish the unthinkable.  They passionately espoused their cause and fought gallantly in the face of certain defeat.  And, even in dark times, they always believed they were at least capable of success!

Today, we salute America and offer gratitude for the incredible accomplishments of our Founding Fathers.

But, more importantly, we recognize that we are ALL capable of these same feats of success and resilience. 

And that is something worth celebrating on July 4th and every other day!

Until next week, keep smiling!