There's no shortcut to the top.
Everyone wants an elevator to success, but it just doesn't work that way. You've got to weather the ups and downs, and you've got to trip and fall on your way. There's no shortcut to the top, and, more often than not, people realize they can go higher once they reach whatever peak they'd chosen for themselves.
I'm not sure who exactly you are, but if you're reading this, I want to challenge you to challenge yourself. Don't worry about the opinions of people who aren't helping you move forward. You may have heard that quote from Michael Phelps—"Winners focus on winning." If you stay focused on life's negatives, you'll never have the strength to push your way to the top. Don't think about failure except to learn from it, and don't focus on what others are doing if it means losing yourself.
I am a firm believer that everyone has a shot at success. If you can keep hiking up that mountain, whether you're slowly climbing a peak or jogging through a valley, you'll move forward. The only way anyone can fail is by giving up and stopping in the shade, so don't feel discouraged by your struggle—your struggle is proof that you're making progress.
Believe in yourself.
Although that's easier said than done, you have to believe in yourself even when you're the only one who does. It's easy to complain about your lack of support, or how little faith the people closest to you show in your vision. Let me tell you something right now—a lot of people aren't going to believe in you until you make it happen.
That's a tough truth for many people to swallow, but, like anything, that truth is something you can use to enrich your life. That truth is freeing, because it's a reminder that no one is going to make anything happen for you besides yourself.
Stop waiting. Stop postponing your life. Stop putting your dreams on delay and your success on the sidelines. Stop resting in the shade when they are mountains to climb.
If you're reading this, that's proof that you have a heartbeat. You have breath in your lungs and you can find the strength to deal with your ups and downs. There is going to be pain in life. There is going to be struggle, and there are going to be things outside of your control. That lack of control can seem scary, but there's a silver lining to everything. God has chosen what you can control in this life, and if you put in the work in those predestined areas, you will be blessed.
Control what you can control, and the rest will follow. Work on you, and everybody else will jump on board.
It all starts with you.
