Encouragement – Pass It On
By Chris L. Gilrath, II

Ponder this for a moment; what if President Obama listened to everyone who said, “Being President is hard work. You should not do it because there has NEVER been a black president and there never will be!”  What if someone told Oprah Winfrey that poor little black girls from the south could never be a television reporter or even be on television?  What if Tyler Perry listened to the people around him who told him that because of his past, his future would be forever tarnished?  The message is simple.  If these people listened to the haters or negative people in their lives, we would not have (1) The FIRST African-American President of the United States, (2) The most powerful person in all of media, or (3) The first African-American to own his own movie company.

If someone comes to you and says that they want to be a basketball star, an actor, or a poet, please take time to think of how your response will affect that person.  You could be discouraging the next Michael Jordan, Denzel Washington, or Maya Angelou.  Often times if is not a 9-5 job, we like to tear down people and say it could never be done.  We say things like “Do you know how many basketball players there are out there?” or “Oh, that is such a hard industry to crack into.”  Yes, this may be true, but are these reasons to not try?  People often do not share their dreams out loud because of the excessive reasoning and discouragement they receive from their parents, friends, or other people.

It takes talent and potential to be able to do great things.  You should be able to sing if you are going to aspire to be a singer.  You have to have basketball skills in order to take it to the next level and play for NBA.  However, think about Michael Jordan.  He did not begin as a great basketball player.  He had to really work hard at it.  How far do you think he would have gotten if he did not have support and encouragement?

Encourage Yourself:

I think a lot of people are happier if you are miserable like they are.  My pursuit as a writer, screenwriter, and motivational speaker has faced many challenges and criticisms.  I’ve worked other professions while pursuing my dream career.  I think about all the time I have invested in working different jobs: banking, retail, education, and customer service.  With the exception of education, all of the other jobs made me miserable.  I did not like talking on the phone with angry, grouchy customers about their overdraft accounts.  That was simply not my bag.  Yes, it paid the bills but I was simply miserable.  It was not bringing me fulfillment.  I am grateful for what God has called me to do.  He has given me the gift of writing.  Sure, not everybody understands what I am doing. 

I recall one person in particular with who I shared my pursuits and some of the progress that I had made with the book that I was writing.  The person responded by saying, “Did you get paid for it?”  The person gave no encouragement or praise for the good works that I was doing.  It was then I realized that not everyone was going to be on board with what I was doing.  Again, if it is not a logical decision in their eyes or something that could be explained through excessive reasoning, then it makes no sense.  I understand the concern.  I understand the fear.  I had asked myself many of the same questions.  I understand.  However, I think of all the time, talent, and work that God has invested in me.  He would not call me to this if He did not have a great work in store for me.

To all of you who have a dream that does not involve your current situation, I am not saying quit your job tomorrow and go broke.  What I am saying is establish a game plan!  Take some time to invest in what you are doing.  Think about what you want to do and why you want to do it.  If you are in a job that makes you miserable, why stay, if you have other options or talents?  Life is too short not to do what makes you happy.  If you are working in a collection agency and you have dreams of being a doctor, take steps to become a doctor.  Do what you have to do to make that happen. 

Encourage yourself.  Wake up every day and tell yourself that you have what it takes to do what your heart desires.  Whatever the dream or goal is, pursue it.  Do something every day to specifically work on that goal.  If God has birthed a vision in you, do not ignore it by excessive reasoning and logic.  God has given us many gifts, yet so many of us fail to step out on faith and utilize those gifts.  Please understand that it will not always be easy, but it will be worth it in the end.  If God has a plan for you (and He does), there is nothing that man can do to tear it down.