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The worst that can
happen
The warrior took a step backward,
stumbled and almost fell. He grimly reflected that if he had fallen, the fight
would have instantaneously been over.
Before him the great lion
cautiously approached. Sensing his opponent's weakness, the beast bared
his fangs, snarled and prepared to pounce.
Mangled and broken in several
places, the warrior's left arm hung uselessly by his side. His chest bore the
marks of the lion's razor-sharp claws and he bled from dozen other such wounds
on his arms and legs. Sweat bathed his body and stung his eyes. Weariness
wrapped his body like a blanket, invaded his soul and bade him give up.
As the ferocious animal stepped
closer, the warrior looked into the eyes of his opponent. He saw the hunger, the
bloodlust and his own demise. But in those wild animal eyes he also found
something he had not expected -- his own strength returning.
The warrior straightened, pulled
himself to his full height and tightened his grip on his sword. As the lion
leapt toward him for the kill, the warrior's blade flashed and arced through the
air toward the lion.
Have you looked into the eyes of
your enemy? There is a strength that comes from honestly evaluating your
situation and assessing the worst that can happen. There is wisdom in carefully
examining what you are afraid of. What is it that you fear? Rejection? Poverty?
Debt? Loneliness? Death?
There are two things you must do
in order to access the worst that can happen: First, you must realize that the
unknown is often the most scary. The fear of the thing is almost always worse
than the thing itself. How much time do we waste worrying about a problem that
never manifests or is not as bad as we feared? How much energy do we waste while
fretting our lives away?
Next, you must realize that what we
most often consider the worst that can happen to us is often the best. The loss
of a job frequently forces us to become more than we would have been had we
continued in that position. A painful childhood experience can strengthen one's
character if one allows it to. It is during the times of struggle that we grow
and are strengthened, not the times of ease.
Conversely, what we consider the
best in this life is often the worst. How many parents have weakened their
children's character by over-indulgence? Does overeating strengthen or weaken
our bodies? Is it reading or sitting in front of the TV that builds our minds?
Does getting everything we desire make us stronger or weaker?
It is only when we examine the
worst that can happen that we see what we fear is most often only an illusion.
What beast is it that confronts you now? Instead of running from your fears or
avoiding that which threatens you, perhaps it is time you engage your enemy.
Maybe it's time you looked into his eyes and see him for what he is. It is in
the eyes of your enemy that you will gain strength.
© 2004 Charles Marshall. Charles Marshall is a motivational speaker, motivational author and president of M Power Resources, LLC. Visit his Web site at www.MPowerResources.com or contact him via e-mail at charles@MPowerResources.com.
