Keep the Faith

Charlotte Wood asked:

 

Tell It To Your Face, my company, was incubating in my heart for years before it was launched. No one had more doubt and hope in it than me. It died and was resurrected at least 5 times, survived 3 name changes, and was mocked many times (mostly when I was acting obnoxious and not like the founder of a self-development and leadership company). Talk about being “the most unlikely,” when I think back from where I came…teen pregnancy, welfare recipient, 15 years of part-time night college to graduation, and 20 years of corporate indoctrination, I know it was faith and determination that bought me here.  

No one was more in a perpetual state of getting ready than me.  When Jim Rohn, one of my first business teachers, said “you’re only as tall as the books you stand on,” I ran out to buy self-help books. I have at least 6 feet of books stacked in various places around the house. And, when he said make your car a mobile classroom, I cut off my radio and started listening to audio books, CDs, and tapes. What made me read all of the books; attend all the workshops, sign-up for all the coaching? Back then, I didn’t know. I just knew I had to.  But, over time, it started making sense because I was becoming what I was feeding myself. Then, something magical happened…I started finishing the sentences of my teachers. I knew what they were going to say before it came out of their mouths and family and friends began seeking me out for help with their personal life situations. At that point, it came to me. I was going to teach. 

I believe God planted a seed of purpose in me. There’s one in all of us. A lot of times it shows up as your passion and sometimes it shows up as the problem you believe needs fixing.  My passion is teaching self-development. It took 6 years of searching and working on me to get here. In fact, I have a vision board (a huge board with words, magazine pictures, photos and mementoes that represent my dreams) in my bedroom. At the top of the vision board, in bold 36 font it says, “The Five Year Plan”. In 2002, when I created the board, I didn’t have Tell It To Your Face in my head. All I knew was I wanted to fix a problem. I had too many people around me (including myself) settling for what they didn’t want. Well, 5 years later, I have a business that inspires people to take risks for their happiness! Prayer and that board helped me keep the faith.  

For any of you out there today nurturing a dream, I’m telling you to KEEP THE FAITH. Don’t let your dream go!  Mark Twain said, “20 years from now you’ll be more disappointed in the things you didn’t do than in the things you did do.” Follow your heart! If you have a passion, pursue it. Here’s an action item:  Start with baby steps.  Each day do one activity to move you closer to having your dream. If you are disturbed about something that’s wrong, fix it!  If one little boy can bring clean water to the massive continent of Africa (see Ryan’s Well Foundation), surely you can do whatever it is that is in your heart. 

I believe in you. Now, let’s do something amazing together

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