Stalking the Elephant by Jim Stovall
Many people would claim to believe that anything is possible, but when it comes to their own life, career, and success, they don’t believe everything is possible.
The concept of anything being possible is random and ethereal. It includes ideas such as “I might win the lottery,” “We might get hit by a meteor,” or “If I’m lucky, I could get the perfect job and meet Mr. or Miss Right.” In these examples, believing in anything being possible assumes that the outcome is not within our control but it’s possible. On the other hand, when we believe that we control our destiny and our fate is in our own hands, we understand that everything is open to us based on the choices we make and how hard we want to work.
I am an entrepreneur and run a small business called the Narrative Television Network. Due to a lot of hard work by our team, we landed a contract to do business with one of the largest corporations in the world. Many well-meaning, well-intentioned, and knowledgeable people would assert that a little company from Oklahoma with less than ten employees couldn’t do business on a level playing field with a multinational, multibillion-dollar giant. In reality, if they believe it’s impossible in their circumstances, they are right. If I believe it’s possible for our team, I’m right.
Success is a self-fulfilling prophecy. In my book The Millionaire Map, I explain that if you want to be successful, you need to surround yourself with a group of people who have what you want. I call these people your Dream Team. I’m a firm believer in being willing to be turned down or rejected by the very best. At the start of any endeavor, if you will simply believe that everything is possible and open to you, you can list the candidates for your Dream Team.
When we started the Narrative Television Network, we had no background, training, experience, or resources in the industry. When I asked myself, “If I could have anyone I wanted on my Dream Team to advise and assist us, who would I pick?” The answer was as simple to me then as it is now. Ted Turner. When we got involved in the financial planning and investment arena, the potential Dream Team member I listed first was Steve Forbes. When we got into the field of leadership training, the first name that came to my mind of someone I wanted on our side was the legendary Coach John Wooden. When my novels began to be sought for movie projects and I was looking for people on my Dream Team, I thought of people like James Garner, Peter Fonda, Raquel Welch, and Academy Award-winner Louis Gossett Jr. I am pleased to report that each of these special people has contributed and continues to contribute to our success. As ancient wisdom tells us, “You have not because you ask not.”
As you go through your day today, set your sights high, and you might just get what you aim at.
Today’s the day!
This and other motivational pieces by bestselling author Jim Stovall can be found in his latest collection of columns, Wisdom for Winners Volume Four, an official publication of the Napoleon Hill Foundation to be released in January 2018.