Your Life is Yours - Today, Tomorrow, and Forever
When you take control over your life, you become unstoppable.
One night I was talking on the phone with my dad, and I asked him a simple question:
“If you can sum up everything you’ve taught me into one lesson, what would it be?”
His response was short and sweet:
“Your life is yours.”
As I look back over the years on the advice he has given me; I was not surprised at his reaction. My dad’s message applies to each and every person reading this article, so allow me to explain the significance of these four words. But first, let me paint a picture in your mind.
Imagine a life where we did not have control. From the day we were born to the day we die, suppose we were puppets and someone was directing our every move. This life does not sound too exciting. The crazy thing about this scenario is how it can come to fruition if we do not take control over our life.
When we do not take control over our life, somebody else will (and it is not fun). Growing up, when I was not doing well in school, as a form of punishment, my dad made me clean his room, bathroom, and assigned additional chores on top of my scheduled chores. I used to ask myself: “Why was he doing this to me?” Then he pulled me to the side one day and broke it down like this:
“People will make you do things you don’t want to do when you don’t handle your business.”
Ouch, did not see that coming. But what he said in that moment resonates with me to this day.
Then my dad broke it down in greater detail:
“Whether you succeed or fail in life, it is a million percent on you,” he said. “You’re not living for me, your mom, or anybody else. You gotta live for you.”
He was right. This was the honest truth. Life is not about what we go through, it is how we respond to adversity and tough times. How we respond to adversity will reveal how much control we REALLY have over our lives. Since our life is ours, we have to do the things necessary to establish and maintain control.
“Handling our business will grant us the opportunity to stay in control and enjoy the fruits of our labor.”
Life is about the choices we make. Whether our decisions are good or bad, there are consequences to our actions. When we do the things we need to do when we need to do them, then we can do the things we want to do when we want to do them. The result? A life that’s filled with clarity, peace, and happiness. Now that’s taking ownership of your life.
We are the masters of our fate and I encourage you to choose a life that will keep you in control of your destiny — today, tomorrow, and forever.
