We esteem grit and determination, celebrate fortune and honor the victorious, yet we deride an ugly twist of fate often going so far as to divorce the individual from any culpability for the state of affairs. For if another is responsible for the pain and suffering in his or her life, might I be responsible for the pain and suffering in mine?
What in this life are you responsible for? Which road should you choose?
For those without ambition, any road will do. For those with a destination in mind, the road matters. Your navigation aid is your ability to choose.
Though the epic story, the grand design and even the nuances of the environment are clearly beyond the individual, it is the choices you make that most directly influence the circumstances and the quality of your journey.
While you may not be able to choose the strength or the direction of the prevailing wind, you can choose to hoist, set or strike your sails. You have at your disposal assets to leverage, both seen and unseen. The course and pace of the journey are up to you. No matter the proximity to your destination, recognize it is the joy in the adventure that matters.
The strength of your ambition and the choices you make to negotiate the obstacles along the way determine the success not only in your life but of your life.
The road before you is paved with choices. The choices are often not easy or pain free. Few are born to wealth and privilege, many face daunting challenges. You can expect to endure hardship and suffer losses, but count your blessings; challenges build character.
Despite humble beginnings and persistent obstacles realize you are meant to succeed in this life. You are here to fulfill a divine purpose. You have the tools at hand and the help you need standing by to achieve your purpose.
Exercise your will to choose. Choose a worthy destination. Pursue your greatest ambition and persevere in your choice to experience an extraordinary journey.
The events of life, taken together, form a grand mosaic. Your contribution to this mosaic is time well spent, energy well invested. Success is not a life of comfort or indecision and fear, rather success is marked by ambition, trials and triumph. Each event, for its part, is shaped by a small decision to act - to proceed - a thoughtful choice. Choose wisely, for the ambitious not any road will do.