Greatness vs Average: Who wins? The one who is strongest!

This morning I was challenged with a thought. Do I want to live an average life or do I want to live a life of greatness. As I began preparing my husband's breakfast and lunch I made the statement "I don't want to go to work. Maybe I should just call in." Well, he and I both chuckled because we both knew that wasn't going to happen. Do you know why? I am not your "average" working woman ~ and for me, calling in just because I wanted to is not an option. No matter if I even feel crummy ~ if I am not running a fever ~ or on my death bed, then yes I go to work. Now that the kids are older I can at least go in for a few hours, and  handle a portion of my shift unless they are indeed really ill. I realize that not everyone is on this level and in no way is directed towards anyone ~ just sharing where my thought process was.

Greatness is often defined as being something/someone that is exceptionally high quality.

Average is defined as ordinary or nothing of special value.

That alone should make one desire to be found to be in the mind frame of greatness. Barely getting by isn't even average. Doing just enough is. The thing is, more people would rather be "stuck" in the mindset of lifestyle of just enough. Average. Can I tell you something? We were made to be more.

How do I know this? Just the fact that you were born is nothing more than a miracle. In fact it is one in 400 trillion! Do you understand the depth of that?  Do you get the fact that you even being alive today is proof that your life has meaning beyond just getting by?! Do you get the fact that maybe JUST maybe you are here because you were born to be GREAT?!

Do you want to know what is even worse then living a "just good enough" kind of lifestyle? Teaching it to our children, and in turn generations to come. Do you not know that the way we live our lives either inspires our children to do more than us, or in the very least gives them the guideline in which they try to reach and be satisfied by living the same lifestyle. Think about it. Do you want your children to be carbon copies of yourself living the same lifestyle you are right now? Well... I hope you like the answer because unless you get up and choose to live for greatness.... that is EXACTLY what is going to happen.

I am going to give you three tips to choose how to achieve greatness in your everyday life. After reading this if you choose that it's not for you ~ I just hope your ready to live an average lifestyle because greatness does not come without effort.

1. Let go of things you don't want to be! 
Do you want to be more? Guess what. If you want to be more your going to have to do more. At one point you may not have to do as much but if you are like a captain on a boat it takes a ton of effort to completely take a different course. He has to get he map out, check weather, and plan the new course. I mean sure if he wants to fly by the seat of his pants and just go he can but .... does he have enough fuel if he gets stuck in the  middle of nowhere? What if a storm is coming?! The captain HAS TO LET GO of the old path to embrace the new one or he may become confused about which direction he is going. Every heard of someone who just "couldn't make up their mind"? Yeah ` that was a captain who held onto two different paths and got the two twisted and then in turn ran out of fuel (motivation, ideas, resources). If you know where you WANT to go, you need to determine if your on track or of it's time for a reboot. Don't be alarmed if this means letting go of a job, relationships, your home.

2. GET OUT of your comfort zone! 
Being stuck in your comfort zone (even if it is cozy and comfortable) is only a good way to remain average. Those who are defined as being GREAT always, always, always are moved OUT of their comfort zone and often put in uncomfortable situations. If you are not able to do this, your not ready for greatness of any kind. Just as Jesus told the man who couldn't' walk ~ "GET UP AND WALK".... he was putting the man out of his comfort zone. Do you think Steve Jobs was in his comfort zone when he became CEO of Apple let alone co-founded the company? Of course not. But I can tell you what. He believed in what he was doing, and if it meant stepping out of his comfort zone to chase a dream (and goal) then he was going to do it. Many of you (all of us really even if we don't use apple products) would not be where we are today in technology. If you choose to remain in your comfort zone then your dreams are NOT worth fighting for, chasing after, even thinking of. Just stop it now and click off this post.

3. Stop giving excuses! 
The only thing HOLDING you back from being in the realm of GREATNESS is YOU! No one else, so stop trying to blame them! It's not the lack of money. If you want it bad enough, you will find the money just like you do for internet, satellite tv, getting your nails done, etc. IT's not the lack of time. We all have 24 hours in a day ~ some of us just choose to stop wasting time on things that keep us from greatness. Some of us get up HOURS before others. That doesn't come without sacrifice because we go to bed early and sometimes miss out on social things. It's a choice. Not an excuse.

4. Be grateful 
No matter where you on your journey to greatness be grateful for where you are! Find gratitude in the little things in your life! Running water is amazing! Coffee every single morning?! Are you kidding me?! THAT is worth dancing over! A fire in the fireplace on a cold night?! Sheer joy! The teenager loves me, and even when I tell her no ~ she gets it. The twins are so close yet so different that I can just imagine how their adult hood is going to be! Love between me and my husband grows so much every single day. Guess what!? None of that relied on lack of sleep, lack or abuandance of money, and I am so thankful for it all. See if you live a life of gratitude you just might realize you are living a life of GREATNESS ~ more than you realized!

I really do hope you have chosen to use this post as motivation to discover whether you want to continue living an average life, or start taking the steps to greatness. Either way ~ it's your story, your journey, and ... yes, your choice.

God bless, and until next time.. let's start to THRIVE!


**Pictures from google images, and not used with the intent of copyright infringement.

* This post was also posted on Thrive Camp's Blog post! www.thrivecamp.blogspot.com

What you can expect when you finally decide to Thrive!

I haven't talked a whole lot about the "Thrive Camp" that I am creating, and what you can expect as of lately, so today is a good day to do that!

Back at the beginning of the year I outlined my own plan of action and what I wanted to be able to offer and when. I began working on the "Camp" part of Thrive Camp last Autumn, and it will be released this Spring. But at the beginning of the year I was inspired to write a novella that goes along with it as a stand alone, and an introduction to the six week program.

A Time to Thrive is an amazing tale about a woman named Jessica who is finding that she is drowning in life, yet not really feeling like she is even living. She's stuck. Stuck in survival mode. Until a friend tells her about "Thrive Camp". Then her world as she knew was turned upside down and inside out.

Thrive Camp is indeed a six week study to lead you from that survival mode into truly thriving in your life. It's deep. It's not always easy. The end result however, is worth it!

Thrive Camp 30 Day Jump start & Journal is simply a thirty day look upon ways to indeed get a jump start on thriving in your life. It is intended to compliment thrive camp, but not replace it.

These will be released separately about a month apart. And eventually be offered as a complete package at a lower cost.

Outside of these books, there will be a membership program that gives you an inside look on how to develop a life that you enjoy from the beginning of the day to the end. There will also eventually be personal coaching available as as well as a live event that you can bring to your neck of the woods!

For now you can stay in contact with all that is happening on the THRIVE stuff both via Facebook (Click here) or on it's own blog (Click here). You can also check out updates on it's website (Click here).

Time to Thrive Tuesday

Did you know that there is something in the works that will encourage you from simply barely making it from day to day to actually living and loving your life again!? That's right! If you are on my regular Facebook page you might feel like that's all you have heard about lately so it's not new news to you.

What is THRIVE camp? Thrive camp is a program I am working on that will encourage you along for six weeks to discover how to live beyond just surviving. Too many of us are barely making it day to day that we are not enjoying our day to day experience. In fact we are barely surviving. Did you know that the opposite of surviving is death. Do you feel like you have any areas in your life that are near death?! Time to learn to THRIVE again!

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Here is an excerpt to give you an idea of what it means to thrive in your life.

"A person who is thriving in their life is not afraid to take action. For some that may mean completely doing an overhaul on their life (one area at a time). For others it may mean shaking things up and taking out the trash. Guess what? Today is trash day. Time to kick some things to the curb! " ~ Excerpt from Week 1! Is it trash day for you?! What "trash" do you need to kick to the curb so you can get back to living again and NOT just survive?

Taking action isn't always easy, and often is frowned upon in many circles because to some that means being self focused or self centered. There are times in our lives where we must pull away and focus on that which God has given us to do. For me that is writing and sharing this encouraging word. For others it may mean going back to school to earn a degree, quitting their job for something more beneficial, or even taking time to craft or teach a class. I can't tell you that I know what you should be doing but I can tell you it isn't sitting on your duff not doing anything. God has put a purpose in us all and it is up to us to fulfill that purpose! Sometimes we lose courage and decide it's better to live in our comfortable little box, even if we are barely breathing. Let me encourage you to get uncomfortable because it will be then that you will be able to see more clearly. 

I have been getting uncomfortable lately, and it is because of that I know that I am doing the right thing. If it is always "easy" there is no defeating the challenge and being able to say with joy and pride "I did it" at the end. I want to leave this world with dirt under my fingernails, sweat on my brow, and breathless because I used all I had that God gave me to use.

Current Thrive Resources:
Thrive Camp Website
Thrive Camp Facebook Page
Thrive Camp Podcast #1