Beginning

“Beginning” is a frightening and powerful word. After delivering a presentation titled, “Beginning Your Speech,” I could not help but think about other beginnings. Like when my wife and I started Hackbarth Delivery Service in 1975. We started with $500 capital borrowed from my sister Janice. The first month’s revenues were only $7.50. It is interesting to me that when we had what was probably the least in life, as measured by assets and financial wealth, was also the time that we had a great abundance of passion, hope and faith.

The beginning of anything can be tough because the future is never visible. And there are always the so-called experts. They say things like, “it will not work,” or “no one has ever done what you are attempting.” They may attack your tactics and strategies. Your plan may not be liked. Unfortunately, sometimes these well-intentioned experts may be family or friends. We often place great confidence in them because they are family and friends.

What is needed in the beginning is a vision of success. We tell ourselves that we would not be afraid if we could just see the path ahead and know the ending. My answer is that this ending and clarity we seek — an answer to our fate — is born out of our own creation: our beliefs. . . our internal faith. We are the giver and the receiver of the gift of the illuminating light of faith.

It is easy to act when you have already arrived. It is tough in the beginning because you have only just begun. Every great company got started with an idea. And the seed of that idea was watered and fertilized with the great tools of faith: belief in others and a dream.

I wish I could tell you that I am a visionary. But, in reality, I get stuck so often in issues and problems. Like many of you. What I need to do and what all of us can do is simply to believe. My belief in you, in myself, and in the others who surround me does not need to be a belief in actual tactics and strategies. I may dislike your plan. I may not like your behavior and mine may need a major overhaul. We are blinded by what we actually see. We need to get in touch with the invisible, what we believe at the core of our being. Deep down, we all want to succeed. We are crying out to everyone to have faith in me! We just want a chance.

“I believe in you” are the second most powerful words we will ever say to anyone. And yet, it is often not said. Not out of ill will or not wanting to, we just have not been taught to say it like we say “I love you.”

The challenge in life is not the challenges. It is our belief system. At the beginning of anything, regardless of what it is, the best we can do is to have faith. Monday is the start of a week. It is a day of opportunity. A day for believers. A beginning.

What beginning are you facing now in your life? How will you approach it?

If your organization needs a new beginning, Rob’s signature keynote Mondays Are Great is a great start. For more details on this keynote: See Rob’s Keynotes