One of the things I had to get through my head early on, when I was working on my book, It’s Your Life, LIVE BIG! was the reality that…

I don’t have the “right” to a bestselling book.

It was important that I fully grasped that, because I needed to understand that beyond just getting the book completed and to my book publisher, like anything worthwhile, that would just be the beginning. And if I truly wanted to give the book its greatest chance at success, I was going to have to put a lot of additional ongoing effort into actually marketing & getting the word out about it.

I want to be careful here and clarify what I mean by a “right.” When I say “right” — I’m using it in the context as though it were a guarantee or something that — simply because I was born into a given set of circumstances I somehow have a “right” to whatever I want. Friend, fair or not life does not work that way.

You and I are rewarded based on the value we deliver to the marketplace…

We are rewarded based on our effort, and assuming that we’ve proven in the marketplace that there’s a need which we are capable of filling. In short, we are rewarded based on the value we deliver to others — not whether we deem it to be of ample value I might add, but whether others (the marketplace) judge it to be so.

I do want to be careful and point out that while I don’t have the “right” to my book automatically being given bestseller status — fortunately I do have the opportunity to make it so, as long as I’m willing to put forth ample effort. The distinction is an important one and actually one which gives us the power to pursue great things, and interestingly, to make that pursuit ultimately worthwhile.

Consider the following example:

If my writing a book automatically came with it a guarantee of wild success and untold riches how quickly do you think it would be before everybody began doing the exact same thing?

The answer of course is not very long at all. On the surface it sounds like a great thing doesn’t it? Yet the reality is that in very short order, it would be quite likely that so many books would flood the market that the supply would overwhelm the demand which in turn would dilute the value of the once precious status of “bestseller.” And as the perceived value goes down, so would go with it any monetary rewards (i.e. incentives I might have gained for my efforts).

Instead of longing for a life of ease, commit to ongoing improvement…

Consider the quote from Jim Rohn, who said, “Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better.” Friend, you can make yourself “better” by acquiring the necessary skills, and life experiences that are required of you.

Make no mistake, you have the ability to achieve success at a level higher then you can imagine, but you must tap into your inner greatness, and to paraphrase Mr. Rohn, do what you must to be better, and avoid the road that so many choose to travel on, simply demanding that things be easier.

Hopefully the example above struck a chord with you…

To further illustrate my point, think back throughout the decades, the 1950’s all the way up to today (and further back for that matter). How many once high paying jobs no longer exist today because advancements in technology have made them obsolete? Quite a lot for sure.

My point here is not to enter into a discussion into what is fair or how things should be, but rather to point out that that is simply the way things are. And make no mistake, no amount of wishing otherwise is going to change that. Therefore we need to figure out how to work within the parameters that exist if we are to succeed and excel in our future endeavors.

While I could go on and on about this most important of topics, instead I will leave you with this thought…

If you wish for true, real, lasting and meaningful success don’t get caught up in the idea that your very existence entitles you to anything other than the pursuit of happiness. The good news is that you can have that, and so much more, assuming you are willing identify what success means to you, create a plan that will allow you to attain your definition — and work that plan with all you have until you see it through.

It’s your life, LIVE BIG!
Josh Hinds

PS. If you would like to have me speak to your group let me know. I look forward to encouraging and inspiring your team in a BIG way!

-your thoughts and feedback on the ideas above are welcome in the comments below.