In our Plains Cree traditional ceremonies, you will hear elders say “Ahkameyimoh” to encourage participants to keep moving forward, to persist no matter how hard the challenges are. I want you to become who you were born to be and not the person someone else expects you to be. You have everything you need to become successful within yourself. There will always be people who will try to slow you down or discourage you from reaching your goals; it is inevitable. I challenge you to keep moving forward no matter how hard it is or how hard it gets. You must be driven to make your dreams become a reality.
I was told from a young age that everything in life happens for a reason. There is a reason why you and I are here together right now. We have had so many obstacles that we have had to conquer. I’ve had to battle economic hardship that left me almost ready to file for bankruptcy, the effects of racism, betrayal and losing a child, and so on. Many of these challenges would make most people want to give up on their dreams. But I pushed through these challenges and that has made all the difference. We only grow when we are uncomfortable – and sometimes life forces us to get uncomfortable. But you must see these challenges as opportunities and not problems or setbacks.
There were times when I wanted to react instead of respond. To react is negative, to respond is positive. I was taught by my mom not to engage in conflict because there is no way to win an argument. Throughout my life I faced many negative people. There were many times I was challenged with an aggressive person or situation and wanted to react by getting into arguments and fights – something the person in question was hoping I would resort to. Instead, I did my best to respond by ignoring the person or situation, no matter how much it hurt. When I launched my business, guess who started to buy my products or invite me to speaking engagements? Those same negative people who I had really wanted to fight with in the past. If I had reacted the way they wanted me to in the past, do you think they would have become customers of mine in the future? Likely not.
Forgiveness is a major factor in my own success journey. In order to forgive others, you must forgive yourself. You must know that tomorrow is a new day; you can use it to create a better future for yourself and your family or you can use it to continue doing the same thing you have always done and expect the same results. The choice is yours. I suggest creating a better tomorrow for yourself and your loved ones. You can only get more in your life when you have prepared for a better future in your mind. Your mind is the most valuable asset you can invest in. If you change your thinking, you can change your life and business. Choose to invest in learning that will help propel you closer and closer to your dreams. The more you learn, the more you earn.
Make it part of your mission to serve others. The most successful people are usually the ones who give the most. You can start today by helping others in your life and business.
You must not expect anything in return. I used to think that I would help others only if they would help me in return. I was wrong. I started doing free seminars and mentoring and giving hundreds of hours of free talks to people who needed my guidance. If I was not giving without expecting anything in return, I wouldn’t have created another business that focused on helping others achieve their goals. When you give, you receive. I have made it my personal mission to try to give value to everyone I come into contact with. When you genuinely help others, you will receive countless blessings that will come into your life.
If you have struggled since you were young, hang in there, the best is yet to come. The universe has respect for you and something big is waiting for you. But you have to be willing to grind for it. The most successful people in the world have had to overcome major obstacles to get to where they are today. The universe rewards people who work when no one is watching. That is when the true magic happens. Work hard towards your goals and eventually you will find that things will work out in your favor. Too many people look for an easy way out and skip this step. Then they wonder why their lives are not where they expected them to be. There is no way around hard work. Grind day and night and watch the opportunities that you will attract into your life.
You deserve to be successful. Ahkameyimoh, keep moving forward!
