Here is the story of Chris, taken from the Prologue to my book ‘Do Yourself a Favor. Get Up! and Move!’. Wanna succeed? Act on the words in its pages.
Millions people are struggling in life. But, they have dormant God-given gifts, lying idle in them. They have what it takes to act and succeed. And, do you know your best life revolves around your God-given gifts?
In the next paragraphs is the story of Chris. For decades he knew he had God-given gifts but never combined his beliefs with the right actions. Nevertheless, a turn of events pushed him to act and then…
Read his story below:
Prologue
Success story
Everyone watched as the exotic car rolled gracefully along the clean, busy street. Passers-by, especially in a neighbourhood like this one, plagued by self-inflicted poverty, turned their heads in admiration. The expensive-looking car pulled onto the kerb. It parked in front of a newly-opened music recording and publishing studio with giant mirror doors. A neon business sign positioned high on the edge of the roof, loomed authoritatively over the street.
It intimidated every other business signage in the vicinity; and invited awe-inspired gazes and comments from those who walked or drove by. The door of the luxury car swung open and a handsome man, casually yet expensively dressed hopped out. He appeared to be in his late forties with a no-cares-in-the-world demeanour. Chris waved and shouted greetings at everyone within earshot. With a broad smile lighting up his face, he walked through the swivelling glass doors and disappeared into the building.
The surprise
Neighbours who ran businesses next to the music studio gasped for breath. Was this not Chris the street sweeper? The same Chris who ate bread and tinned fish right here, seated on the kerb and chatting away with a permanent smile on his face? They were all in plain shock, and some shook their heads in disbelief. Chris was a school drop-out who had moved from one odd job to another. Daily, for two years, he had swept and kept this very street clean. His charismatic nature, cheerfulness and contagious smile were known to everyone on the street.
Act on Latent gifts
Chris was a songwriter/singer/author who never believed in his gift until poverty and shame pushed him to write and record a song, one song. The song sounded good, or so said everyone who heard it, and he decided to do a low budget music video. He also wrote and self-published his autobiography that started as a treatment for a music video he intended to shoot for the song. As he wrote the treatment, he discovered that ideas kept on coming, idea after idea. He kept on writing and writing. Before he realised what was going on, he had written about 70 pages.
Although ideas were scattered here and there and followed no particular sequence, he enjoyed, albeit in disbelief, what he had written. He showed a friend what he had written, and the friend suggested that they should ask a professional editor to look at it. Chris wasn’t convinced, saying that the document was meant to be a treatment for his music video. “Why involve an editor?” he asked. But the book editor, after recognising a gift in Chris as he rummaged through the pages of the manuscript, convinced him to tell the story of his life in a book. He complied. And then, boom! Chris hit the jackpot.
Wake up call
Chris had an artistic gift. Although he pursued other interests in life and paid little attention to this one gift, he kept on singing and writing songs as a hobby when he could find time, usually when he was bored and had nothing to do. He was a good singer and wrote catchy songs. A close relative who was concerned about his age and the fact that he was single and childless recommended that he should try using his gift of art. After all, Chris had nothing to lose by trying. His gift that had always been with him since the day of his birth now transformed his life for good and showed the world around him how powerful a gift can be.
The right step
Chris’s song became a radio anthem of some sort, his video clip played on TV, and thousands of people viewed his music video on YouTube. He became a success and was invited to appear on TV and radio shows, speaking about his grass-to-grace journey, from a broke street sweeper to a published author, celebrated artist and a recording and publishing studio business owner. He vowed to never be broke again, and to help young and upcoming talented artists find their place in life by using their gifts.
(The End)
Chris’s story is true for many people. Therefore I propose this life-transforming formula. Act on it.
Belief + Action = BreakingAllBarriers
Chris’s beliefs and actions broke the barriers of poverty, shame and meaningless living, to transform his life.
What are your beliefs and what are you doing about them?