ONE DEGREE

Dale Carnegie said, “Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” We cannot dwell on the past or worry about tomorrow. We remember the past but don’t focus on it, and we look out for tomorrow but don’t get consumed with it. Stay focused on what is in front of you. One degree off your mark could make you miss your destination and lose your focus.

This is where refocusing on your purpose and destiny comes into play. Although you may be one degree off target, shoot a back azimuth (take a step back), recalibrate (re-evaluate), and do not allow situations and circumstances to dictate your direction. God has a plan for you. It is up to you to follow the plan and to act on it.

Matthew Floding from Duke Divinity School instructs, “Great coaches give their teams direction and motivation to help them to reach their goals.”[i] Permitting the right people to speak into my life allowed my dreams to come and to stay alive.

Dreams can be the essence of who we are. Dreams can be deferred or delayed, and it may seem like they will never come to pass; nevertheless, if we stay focused on what God placed inside of us, that dream will blossom. The dream that God gives us should become the driving force of our life. He has a purpose for each of us, and the dream is the catalyst to discovering that purpose, just as it was for my son.

Every four years, I look forward to watching the Olympics, whether it is the summer or winter games. It is inspirational to watch athletes from around the world focus on their individual disciplines. I watch in awe as they accomplish feats that seem unthinkable for the human body. Regardless of the outcome—whether victory or defeat—I am amazed that they are in the top percentile in their respective sport. As we watch these athletes, many of us receive a burst of inspiration to get active or cultivate a sense of self-doubt that we could never do that. Maybe you wondered, Could I have that type of focus in my life?

In case you thought you were alone in being inspired to become more active and go to your local gym after watching the Olympics, you have a lot of company. Research conducted by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association stated, “People tend to show an increased interest in playing sports and being active after watching the Olympics Games … that year or the next.”

The research demonstrates that people find inspiration in others’ successes and gifts. We tend to reflect on what-ifs: What if I had taken sports seriously? What if I had listened to the coach? What if I didn’t hang out with the guys or girls? What if?

My motivation may be there, but the question is: Do I listen to the advice of others or do my own thing? Losing motivation and focus can cause me to lose hope in what I believe I want to accomplish. It seems like days keep piling onto days, to the point where I lose sight of where I am going. When days turn into months and months into years, there seems to be no hope or direction. I start to feel off course, which could lead me to feeling that there is no purpose.

Remember that traveling just one degree off my intended destination over a distance could land me away from my mark. In order to understand how to hit the mark, I had to get instructions. I had to be willing to be taught how to navigate with precision. This, of course, means allowing a mentor to give me guidance on how to get to my destination without hitting any pitfalls. I have to pay close attention to my mentor’s every word, or I will find myself off the mark. One degree doesn’t seem like it will make a big difference. But over a long distance…