No. 364 - THE WELL-SPRING OF TRUE SUCCESS

No. 364

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Jim Davidson...NEWSPAPER COLUMN
THE WELL-SPRING OF TRUE SUCCESS

When it comes to the subject of success, perhaps the American Clergyman Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) said it best. He said, “Success is full of promise until men get it, and then it is last-year’s nest from which the birds have flown.” Over the years I have known many successful men and women, at least by the world’s standards, and they have all had a least two things in common. They have each had a burning desire to succeed and the will to win. To be sure these are two powerful motivating factors in any successful person’s life, but there is still another factor, while not as strong in the beginning, that will still be there when the other two have faded or pulled up lame.
For the sake of simplicity, I am calling this other factor the wellspring of true success. Do you know or can you guess what it is? I’ll share this in just a moment, but first permit me to tell you how I discovered this simple, yet profound truth. Early one morning before sunrise, I was sitting out in our glassed-in front porch, drinking in the beauty of God’s creation and I got to thinking about all the people who have helped me over the years. When I began to count my blessings, it was an overwhelming feeling and I thought to myself, “Eureka! I have found it.” Without fanfare, I had discovered the “Well-Spring” of true success.
No doubt there have been thousands of others who have come to the same conclusion, but in all my days I have never heard anyone talk or write about the “Well-Spring” of true success. Have you? An analogy please, that will make this concept very clear. In your mind picture a spring of water that flows out of a mountain or a hillside that never dries up or stops flowing. Even on the hottest days of summer there is always a steady stream of life sustaining water that keeps emanating from the spring. The dictionary defines a “Well-Spring” as 1. The source of a spring or stream. 2. A source of continual supply.
So then, it should be easy to see that a “Well-Spring” is something that keeps on giving because it is always there and never runs dry. If you see this picture clearly in your mind, then you will understand that the “Well-Spring” of true success is GRATITUDE! Think about this statement for a moment and I believe you will see truth written all over it. You show me a person who is grateful for what he or she has, and I will show you a person who has infinitely more potential to achieve long term success than those who are ungrateful, have a chip on their shoulder, a glass that is always half-empty and a “woe-is-me” attitude.
Now, lest you think I have gone off the deep end, let me expand a little on what I have been saying. To achieve anything truly worthwhile, a person whose heart is filled with gratitude is not exempt from hard work, having worthy goals, excellent character and all the other things that are necessary to achieve success. What I am saying, as a place to begin, is that people who are truly grateful for what they have will not waste time and energy worrying about the past and what they don’t have, but will move forward with a positive attitude and a fresh, optimistic outlook on life. Could I be talking about you here?
In addition to being grateful for all the fine people who have helped me along the way, I am also grateful for many other things. First, my parents who brought me into the world and did they’re best to teach me right from wrong. I’m grateful for freedom and the opportunities that have been afforded me as a citizen of the greatest nation on earth. I am grateful for my family and the blessings they have brought me over the years. While this is personal, I am grateful for Jesus Christ who saved my soul and set my feet on solid rock. If you are not already a grateful person, why not take a moment and count your blessings, because this is the “Well-Spring” of true success. (Jim Davidson is a motivational speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034.)

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