**Who Told You Life Was Easy?

Life is not easy. It’s downright hard. There are lots of troubles, irritations, and pain in life. Things happen! Things go wrong! People don’t always do what we want them to.

Don’t depend on other people for your happiness. Depend on yourself. Be who you are. Do the things you want to do. Get the things you want to have. Don’t wait for someone else to be it, do it, or get it for you. The only places you will find knights in shining armor on white horses are in shows on the Las Vegas Strip and in old black and white movies. No one is going to ride up and save you. Give up that idea right now! Take care of your own needs. Learn the difference between wishing, hoping, and desiring. Desire is a motivating force. When you desire something enough and back it up with hard work, you will make it come alive in your life.

Successful people understand there is a price to pay for achieving success. Sometimes this involves making sacrifices in order to reach your goals. My dad used to remind me often, “People are successful because they do the things failures don’t like and are not willing to do. Successful people take full responsibility for finding their own path to achievement.”

If we take the time to think about what possible obstacles will come our way, we can be prepared to take alte
ative action. Be prepared by asking yourself, ‘How would I handle this situation if I run into a roadblock or if an emergency arises? No matter what your situation, you can make your journey easier if you prepare yourself by exploring the alte
ative routes in advance.