Challenges Challenge Change

            There are a few things that are essential for people to live. Water and food would fall into that category. There are also a few things in life that are essential for people to reach their full potential. One of those things is to be challenged. Challenges are essential for growth and can be a catalyst for success. There are three types of challenges. 

 1. Challenges that are easy to complete 

 2. Challenges that are difficult, but after some time, effort, and focus are conquerable 

 3. Challenges that no matter the time, effort or focus are too difficult to complete                

          The specifics of these challenges can be different for each person. Depending on your age, ability level, experience, handicaps and many other characteristics. A challenge that is an easy-to-complete challenge for one person, can be too difficult for another. Whatever it might be for you, it is essential to have all three of these types of challenges regularly in your life.                

          You need the easy to complete challenges because it enables you to accomplish things that are required to live your everyday life. They might be a way of building confidence or even something you don’t think twice about. Just know that some of these challenges might be considered difficult for someone else so recognize and appreciate your ability to complete the easy challenges in your life.               

           To reach your full potential, it is necessary to come across challenges that are difficult. These challenges enable you to grow. It creates change internally and externally in order to complete the challenge. Once a difficult challenge is completed, there is a sense of gratification because you identified that it took time, effort and focus in order to grow to the point that allowed you to complete the challenge. The old chinese proverb states, “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” In order to learn to walk, one must fall down several times. The one that never tries again after falling, never learns to walk.               

            Finally, there are these challenges that no matter the time, effort and/or focus you put into them, they are still too difficult to complete. A lot of times an incomplete challenge can be viewed as a failure. The reason I categorize this type of challenge as incomplete, is because it is our duty to learn from it in order to grow and mature. These are challenges that truly define your life. How you react to them is what makes you who you are. Sometimes there is a challenge set forth that no matter how many different ways you’ve tried to complete it, you never will complete it. But in the process of attempting over and over again to complete it, you have grown, you have learned and hopefully, you have loved the process. We may never complete these types of challenges and that is ok. Someone can try over and over again to pass their licensing exam, but fail time and time again. This person has a choice - to learn from past incomplete challenges and figure out how to overcome them, or use these incomplete challenges as a sign to move on in a different direction. It is completely fair to fail and to use that failure to lead you down a different path. These challenges help pave our path in life on earth. A challenge that is too difficult to complete can lead one to realize they need to refocus their energy elsewhere, which might lead to unimaginable experiences.                

         Ultimately, it is our life's work to follow the path that God set forth for us. Trust that God has a plan for you and it is for you to prosper. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.” Trust that these challenges, big and small, are put forth to give you hope and a future. Don’t let the negativity of failure creep in when you come across a challenge too difficult to complete. Everyone has challenges in their lives that are too difficult to complete. We must appreciate our shortcomings, learn from our mistakes and remain positive. Without these incomplete challenges how can one appreciate success? Learn from each incomplete attempt and let these experiences guide you through to reach prosperity!

• Challenges Cultivate Change