Do You Believe Like David Did? Accept the Challenge Before You.

At some point in our lives, we've all heard the story of David and Goliath. It is one of the most well-known stories related to the themes of courage and self-confidence. We've all been inspired by the young Shepherd boy who unexpectedly finds himself in a one-on-one fight to the death with the Philistine giant Goliath. With what many would consider an inadequate weapon, David kills Goliath with a slingshot cementing his legacy and saving his country from certain destruction.

For the experienced soldiers who stood by and watched David confront their enemy, Goliath was an obstacle they could not overcome. In David's eye, Goliath was not an obstacle but an opportunity to prove his belief in himself and that his God was unmatched. David was willing to show up for himself not because of what others thought about him but what he believed about himself.?

What do you believe about yourself??

Does your belief system support empower you to show up for yourself???

Today we live in a time of snapshots, quick takes, and 60-second video clips. Much like an Instagram story or TikTok video, we reduce David's story into a short clip centered on his battle with Goliath. This snapshot causes us to miss the context and value of David's life journey leading to his battle with Goliath.?

The most notable and inspiring part of David's success story is often never mentioned in his defeat of Goliath. Before he stepped into the spotlight and became recognized as a legendary warrior and leader, he was in obscurity on the backside of a mountain overseeing his Father's sheep.?

In the shadows of the grassy plains, David is busy at work in isolation out of the public eye. It is in this place that David developed his self-confidence. Within the daily responsibilities of being a shepherd boy, he learned how to show up for himself.??

If you don't learn how to show up for yourself in private, it's very challenging to do so in public. Showing up for yourself is about cultivating the greatness that lies within. Showing up for yourself means embracing challenges without an audience. If you wait for the audience and anticipate their support, you'll miss moments designed to prepare you for your introduction to the audience.?

As we step into the beginning of the last quarter of 2022, there is an opportunity for you to show up for yourself. It was within these types of individual challenges that David discovered a greater version of himself, and it's where you will find your capabilities as well. Within this personal discovery, you prepare yourself for the moments designed to elevate your life to the next level.

These moments never cordially introduce themselves. They show up like an unexpected guest at a party. When they arrive, you must lean in and take them head-on.?

Before his battles with Goliath, while tending to his Father's sheep, a lion came and snatched one of the sheep. David pursued the lion, killed it, and rescued the stolen sheep. On another occasion, a bear came and stole another sheep. David went after the bear, killed it, and returned the stolen sheep to the fold.

The lion and bear showed up unannounced, and David had to choose how he would respond to these situations. David decided to see these circumstances as opportunities, although they presented an extremely high degree of challenge. There is a level of awareness we all must possess when we define what we believe to be an opportunity. Most determine their willingness to pursue an opportunity based on the anticipated challenges they will encounter if they engage. They attempt to measure the level of resistance or difficulty the situation presents.??

Had David defaulted on the opportunities to pursue the bear and lion, he would not have been prepared for Goliath. In the last three months of 2022, you have an opportunity to show up for yourself.

While others doubted his ability as he stood before Goliath, David was fully aware of his capabilities to overcome adverse circumstances because of his willingness to believe in himself. Not because he announced it on his LinkedIn page or YouTube channel. In the solitary state of this life journey, he chose to believe in himself instead of people's opinions, fear of failure, or self-doubt.

That's not to say fear was not present when he stood before the bear, lion, and Goliath. His belief system was stronger through his willingness to build it when no one else was watching.

In the last quarter of 2022, pursue the bear and lion in your life. They are opportunities designed to prepare you for your Goliath moment. The bear in your life may be past failures that have stolen your belief in yourself. Like David, show up for yourself and rescue your future from the attack of your past.

The lion in your life may be the thoughts in your mind telling you a career of purpose and fulfillment is unattainable for you. Show up for yourself, confront the forces attempting to hold you back, and rescue your happiness. In doing so, you are preparing yourself for the opportunities in 2023.

David's greatness was cultivated not under the focus of people's attention or opinions but through his belief in himself. Success is a process. It's not captured in clips and snapshots. It's developed over time through our belief in ourselves and commitment to cultivating our gifts. The person who sees the opportunity in the obstacle is committed to showing up for themselves regardless of who's watching.?

Goliath represented another opportunity for David to trust his belief system. As we focus on finishing the year strong, look at the challenges before you and choose to show up for yourself. Protect your happiness, mindset, and future the same way David protected those sheep. You'll discover a greater version of yourself in your willingness to do so.?

Finish Strong,

Ronald