Beyond the Lion's Claws and Teeth of Your Future

Beyond the Lion's Claws and Teeth of Your Future

What would you do if, before your proposal to marry was approved, you had to kill a lion? Could you search for and overcome a lion with only a spear and a sword? Like many people, I tell my beloved wife if that was the prerequisite, I would probably have remained single.

Traditional knowledge has it that for a Masai man to marry, he had to kill a lion.  This act was proof of his manhood and ability to protect his future wife. After this act of courage, his future in-laws would give their daughter to this warrior.

A wife was one aspect of the social "package of marriage." In many African cultures, one could own property after marriage. He or she could participate in the decision-making process that oversees the welfare of the entire community. One could be considered and probably be elected to leadership status.  Perpetuation of the family name was the most significant reason for marriage.

            With unimpaired vision of life after marriage, a Masai man paid no attention to the claws and gnarling teeth of a 400-lb. lion.  The thought of being pounced on was substituted with thoughts of taking the dead lion's parts to in-laws and being received ceremoniously.

Think of David and Goliath. David focused on the reward King Saul would give him after killing Goliath. David visualized the respect his God and His army would command after Goliath was dead. He didn't focus on his youth, lack of military training and his inferior weapons consisting of a sling and five stones. He had faith in God and his ability to throw stones from a safe distance. To David, Goliath was too big to miss.  The trained army men saw a man who was too big to fight against.

These scenarios show distinct attributes for success in any life endeavor-Vision, decision, action and persistence.

Vision overshadows inadequacies related to skills, resources and abilities. It has been said, and proven to be true, that what your mind can conceive, and you believe in your heart, you can achieve. "The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mystical. It is the power of all true art and science" (Albert Einstein). Dreams are the seeds of success.

A firm decision to make your dream a reality gives the universe a go-ahead in equipping you with the necessary tools. In your decision-making process, formulate your vision into specific objectives with measurable results within a given period of time.

Act on your decision. Faith without works is dead. Build "foundations" for the castles you have visualized.

Be persistent with your dream. At times, you will be at the "bottom of the valley" of your dream project.  Things won't work as planned. Learn to jump from one failing (learning) experience to another with a positive attitude. In case you need a "push," read about the failure incidents of Abraham Lincoln. A successful person is a failure who persists on his or her dreams.

Yesterday has passed to oblivion.  We may have had disappointments because of unfulfilled dreams, uncompleted projects, broken promises and relationships. The past is not a place of residency. It's a reference point. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape (wisdom found in a fortune cookie).

Beware of dream-busters, such as hanging around negative associates, your own fear and reading or watching impertinent materials. Ponder this: Watching TV for six hours per day translates to fifteen years of one's life at 60 years of age.

Face the lions or Goliath's of your future dreams with renewed hope, rekindled faith and unquenchable determination. Remember, "Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches or pounds or college degrees or family background.  They are measured by the size of their thinking.  How big we think determines the size of our accomplishments." (David Schwartz, American Writer).