…Successful People Build Relationships

with the Right People

As Christians, we have the power to touch the lives of others every single day. It is essential to be a champion of success in the lives of others to help inspire them to their own successes in life.

Charles C. Manz explains one of his theories in his book, The Power of Failure: 27 Ways to Turn Life’s Setbacks into Success: “It can be satisfying to help someone else win, even when it means we have less time for our own immediate success. If we help others get what they want, we usually get much of value ourselves.”

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

As we do the work of Christ, God does not expect us to “go it alone.” The Holy Spirit will sometimes lead us into partnerships to insure the success of our mission.

Jeffrey J. Mayer agrees with this premise in Success is a Journey: 7 Steps to Achieving Success in the Business of Life, he writes, “Spend your time and energy with the right people. People who offer you help, support, and encouragement… people who want to see you succeed. People who will help you achieve your goals and help you make your dreams come true…look for ways in which you can help each other.”

Try this exercise:

Make a list of 5 people who will support you as you strive to make your dreamks come true. Make it a point to speak with these people on a regualar basis. Keep them abreast of everything that is going on in your life.

“An irony, by focusing on helping others get what they want, and not on our own personal gain, we stand to gain a great deal.”

– from The Power of Failure by Charles C. Manz

“The line between failure and success is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it: so fine that we are often on the line and do not know it.”  –Elbert Hubbard, American writer

Failure is not always a bad or a negative experience.  Some people use failure as an excuse to stop striving for what they really want or need.  The Bible says in Proverbs 24:16,  “for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again…” According to Charles C. Manz, in his book, The Power of Failure: 27 Ways to Turn Life’s Setbacks into Success, “Sometimes failure is failure, at least in the short run.  If we can learn to accept failure as a necessary part of life and then take from it the valuable lessons it offers, we can transcend it.  Sometimes it’s best to not try to deny or redefine failure but to effectively cope and cooperate with it for future success.”

We may experience setbacks in life, but if we continue to rise again, the very next time may be the push we need to make it to our reward.  As Donnie McClurkin says in his popular gospel song, “We fall down, but we get up…”  The only way to accomplish what God is calling you to do is to have faith that God will be with you through it all.  “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)  As long as we are obedient, God will even supply the faith, “… think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” (Romans 12:3)

“Most people search high and wide for the key to success. If they only knew, the key to their dreams lies within.”  – George Washington Carver. American inventor