The Nature of Success

By John Thurman M.Div., M.A., Adapted from Dr. Tom Barrett’s book Success Happens

What do a missionary, a pastor, and a business owner have in common?
They all have a dream and they stay focused. It may be to start a new work in an under served people group, to launch a new ministry, or to start a new business.
Success is not nearly as difficult, complicated, or elusive as most people imagine-and it is far more enjoyable than they ever hoped. Indeed, the most extraordinary aspect of success is how simple it is.
The two qualities found among successful people across nearly all culture are:
They have a dream.
They are focused.
Why are dreams important? Because dreams are the blueprint for reality. At some point Steven Jobs had a dream about an at home personal computer and at this moment I am writing on a MacBook, seeing a message on my iPhone, and looking at some reference material on my iPad. Why? Because Steven Jobs had a dream!
Dreams are the prototype of things to come. They are the mind’s sneak preview of the future. And the more clearly one sees a positive future, the more confidently he or she lives in the present.
Dr. Barrett says that a dream does not have to be some gigantic, huge thing to impress others. But, it does need to be big enough to do four things:

You need a dream big enough to get you out of the bed in the morning.
You need a dream big enough to keep you up at night.
You need a dream strong enough to get you to ignore fatigue.
You need a dream strong enough to get you to push through fear.

This is all the dream you need. Anything less is too little; anything more is a bonus.
Dreams fall into four distinct types: practical dreams, fun dreams, memorable dreams, and significant dreams.
Another point that Dr. Barrett makes is that while the dream is important it will only be a daydream or wishful thinking, without focus.
Focus is not an innate capacity that you either have or do not have-it is not something you are born with. Consequently, it is something you can acquire. Focus is a skill and a habit that you can develop. Boring as it may be, focus is the simple act of staying on task. It is simply doing what you need or intend to do.
Author, Steven K Scott, in his book, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived: King Solomon’s Secrets to Success, Wealth, and Happiness, uses the concept of diligence to amplify what focus can mean.
“Diligence is a learnable skill that combines; creative persistence, a smart working effort rightly planned and rightly performed in a timely, efficient and effective manner to attain a results that is pure and of the highest quality of excellence.
Dr. Angela Duckworth says in a powerful yet brief way, “Achievement = skill x effort.” Effort, in her system means, the amount of time spend on the task.” Dr. Duckworth talks about a person developing grit, which is the combination of very high persistence and high passion for an objective.” Check out the Authentic Happiness Website and take the GRIT assessment - its free
Proverbs 14:23 says, “Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty.” NLT
The missionary, the pastor, the business owner that experience success do so because they quietly and diligently do what is before them each day. They stay focused. They are constantly aware of what they want in the future and do what is necessary, on a daily basis, trusting God to move them incrementally closer toward their dreams.

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