You Decide

Kemmons Wilson had it tough growing up. His father died when he was nine months old. His young mother, only 18 years old, struggled to provide for her son. There were times there was so little money that they lived on a few pounds of dried butter beans for a week at a time. What got him through those times was his mother's love. Every night she sat her little boy on her lap and said, "You are designed for greatness and you can do anything in life if you're willing to work hard enough to get it." At 14 years old, Kemmons was hit by a car. The doctors said he would never walk again. He chose to believe differently. He could do anything if he was willing to work hard enough. One year later, he returned to school - walking on his own. Then the Great Depression hit. His Mom lost her job along with millions of others. He made the decision to quit school and provide for the woman who had done so much for him. The day he quit school, he made it his mission in life to succeed. He vowed to never be poor again. Kemmons experienced varying levels of success over the years but he had not achieved his goal of financial success when he took his wife and kids on a vacation in 1951. He was frustrated by the shoddy accommodations available for families, and furious they dared to charge $2 extra per child. He knew it was too expensive. His frustrating experience sparked an idea! He would offer an alternative - a hotel people could trust that would never charge extra for children. It was a completely new concept and most people predicted failure from the beginning. Kemmons chose to believe differently. As with any business, he experienced enormous challenges. Money was short. Many times payment was an IOU. He had to overcome one obstacle after another - choosing to believe in his success every single day. 15 years later, Holiday Inn was the largest hotel system in the world, with one of the most recognizable names in the business. Kemmons had a belief that carried him through. "You may not have started life in the best of circumstances. But if you can find a mission in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you from achieving success." Every generation always believes all the great ideas have already been taken. There is nothing left for you. Ridiculous! Your world is brimming with possibilities. Keep your mind and heart open. Find and identify that which fills a need and ignites your passion. Where you are in life today is not what is important. What's important is where you plan to be tomorrow; next year; 10 years from now. And no matter where that may be, always be aware of the fact that you WILL succeed, if you believe that you CAN!