Happy Birthday, America!  As those of us in the United States celebrate Independence Day, it is a perfect time to reflect on how we achieved our freedom and honor our Founding Fathers who made this freedom possible.  George Washington.  John Adams.  Benjamin Franklin.  These men (to name just a few!) occupy a hallowed place in the annals of American History and will forever be associated with greatness.  They demonstrated incredible courage, wisdom, and vision during a tumultuous time of revolution and potential anarchy.  And we all know how the story ends.  Their ability to move boldly forward in the face of doubt and uncertainty carved the path that we all freely slide down today.  Yet our Founding Fathers were, for the most part, ordinary citizens.  They had some education and some previous political experience (Right Ben Carson?),  but they were not the most wealthy or the most respected professionals in their field.  They didn’t have all the answers.  They simply had conviction in their moral beliefs and passion for their cause.  They understood they were capable of greatness and were not afraid or intimidated by anyone standing in their path.  And shouldn’t we all take that same approach in our professional and personal lives?

In our work lives, we don’t always play an active role in moving our careers forward.  When self-doubt creeps in, it can have a detrimental impact on our development.  No matter what your profession, there will always be people in your field who have experienced incredible triumphs.  Legendary entrepreneurs.  Brilliant trial lawyers.  Ground-breaking teachers and coaches. Rain-making sales professionals.  Transcendent writers and actors.  Phenomenal athletes.  How can we possibly compete with these luminary figures?  How can we possibly accomplish their level of greatness?  Who are we to even try?  This is dangerous and limited thinking!  The most accomplished and revered professionals started out with the same basic set of tools.  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.  They are no different from you or I.  But, like our Founding Fathers, they passionately believe in their mission and they are not afraid to try new approaches to achieve their dreams.  They not only dare to dream.  They dare to fail.  And they dare to try again.  We cannot let the success of others paralyze our own development.  Remember, greatness is a journey with several small steps set along the path.  But unless we move forward and take action, we are not stepping in the right direction.  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.

Never be afraid to try something new.  Remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic. —Anonymous

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 such a great 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 that there is no playbook for these accomplishments.  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.

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 of mediocrity.  Resiliency is not about knowing you will be successful.  In fact, resiliency is born when our confidence is shattered but we still exhibit maximum effort.  Resiliency builds when success is unlikely but we still move forward.  Resiliency shines through when, even in defeat, we believe we are capable of incredible greatness.

Our Founding Fathers did not set out to change history.  They did not set out to be iconic heroes.  But through their resilience, they were able to accomplish the unthinkable.  They passionately espoused their cause and fought gallantly in the face of certain defeat.  And today, we salute America and offer gratitude for the incredible accomplishments of our Founding Fathers.  But we also recognize that we are ALL capable of those same feats of bravery and resilience.  We are all capable of greatness.  And that is something worth celebrating!

Keep smiling, and God Bless America!