"Criticism is the death gargle of a nonachiever." The person who wrote this quote recognized that critical people are those who have failed to reach their own goals. They want to destroy your attempts to achieve. Rather than working on their own challenges, they spend time pointing out your alleged flaws. Your real challenge should be to focus on where you are going. Refuse to allow critical people to stop you in the pursuit of your goals.

Everything you have done is not wrong. Recognize that you have done some things right. Sir Winston Churchill, the early 1900s British politician, left us with many powerful words that can encourage us while we are moving forward. Churchill recognized that there are evil motives in some people. He was quick to vocalize his concerns about the menace of Adolf Hitler's Germany. Churchill repeated his warnings and as a result was appointed as prime minister in 1939. He was not merely being critical but presented facts. There is a time for releasing facts and information.

Churchill said, "the greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes." Don't allow critics to put you in bondage. Everything you have done is not wrong. Discover the good things you are doing and keep moving forward. Let the critics be the nonachievers. You be the achiever you were meant to be!

The quality of preparation determines the quality of your future assignment! Successful people have normally spent years preparing for their greatest accomplishments. They were willing to invest time, finances and lots of hard work into their dreams. Great athletes didn't give up when they were tired or injured. Physicians spent lots of long, sleepless nights studying and walking the corridors of hospitals. Many successful businessmen invested and then lost the investments. Yet, these people got up and tried again.

Times of stress, tiredness and loss are merely lessons that every successful person must walk through. Learning to see the preparation process in each difficult moment helps you better understand your assignment. You are not where you will be in the future. You are in your time of preparation.

Strive for quality rather than a quick fix. Keep getting up when you feel you have fallen down and are injured. Keep walking forward; don't retreat. Keep believing for restoration of any loss in your life. Before you know it, you will have moved into your future assignment. You were willing to prepare, and now you'll be known for the quality of your assignment!

To lead yourself, use your head. To lead others, use your heart. This quote highlights the importance of heart connections. Some leaders try to lead by revealing statistics, arguing over why they need help or insisting that everyone jump on board with their ideas. Although these elements are important, they aren't going to garner the cooperation needed to successfully implement your vision. There must first be a connection to your heart before people extend their helping hands to you.

Mother Teresa is revered for her lifelong dedication to the poor, especially the destitute masses of India. After studying nursing, she moved to the slums of Calcutta to work with the poor. Mother Teresa was summoned to Rome in 1968 to establish a home for the needy, and three years later she was awarded the first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize. By the late 1970's the group she founded, the Missionaries of Charity, numbered more than 1,000 nuns who operated 60 centers in Calcutta and hundreds of centers worldwide. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Her heart of compassion and devotion to the destitute caused leaders to trumpet Mother Teresa's cause. She was able to amass a large amount of finances needed to fulfill her dream.

What is your vision? Who needs to connect with you for you to be able to see the fulfillment of your dream? There will be a time to use the information found in your head. You will be able to speak about your plans. Until then, allow others to connect with your heart. Lead with your heart and let your heart do the talking!

Overcomers have a 'finishing' anointing. They don't merely start things. They keep on moving forward until they complete the task. Many people love to start new things. They like to be creative. They enjoy thinking of new projects and dreaming about new adventures. Often, these people actually start some of the new things they are planning for the future. The problem is that they seldom finish what they start.

Helen Keller was an overcomer who finished her assignments against major obstacles. She was born with severe illness that deprived her of sight, hearing and the ability to speak. Her courage, faith and optimism in the face of overwhelming disabilities propelled her forward. She never retreated. She never stopped. She persevered until she completed what was needed to succeed. As a result, Helen Keller graduated cum laude from Radcliff College, became the author of several articles, books and biographies, served on several boards and lectured in more than 25 countries.

You have the same potential in you that was in Helen Keller. Do what she did. Keep moving forward against all obstacles. Allow your courage and faith to rise to a new level. It is only a matter of time until you finish your goal. Wow! You are an overcomer with a finishing anointing!

The narrow place is the path to your new season! This uncomfortable road is usually filled with darkness, confusion and limitations. You may want off this path. Sometimes you are even tempted to return to a more comfortable place. Yet, the only way to secure your future is to make it all the way through the narrow place.

A new baby must come through the dark and narrow place for birth to occur. A worm is transformed into a butterfly in a dark and narrow place. Victory often comes during the darkest hour. To experience something new, we often times must endure dark and narrow places.

Keep moving forward. The only way to lose, is to stop. Let new vision be birthed as you come through your time of uncomfortable darkness. Watch the transformation of your new identity as it is released in your life. Your future is waiting for you at the end of this narrow place. Get ready to be squeezed into your new season!

You have an adventurous spirit inside you waiting to be released! Too often there have been negative people, financial situations or wrong emotions that have prevented you from experiencing something you've longed to do.

What is it that you would like to do, but have never had the courage to do? Do you want to write a book? Learn a new language? Maybe do something adventurous just for fun? My son-in-law wanted to skydive for many years. Last year, our daughter gave him a skydiving lesson as a birthday present. The day arrived. Cameras were ready. Finally, the moment arrived when he jumped from the plane! Soaring through the air, Brian felt the exhilaration of a long awaited adventure! He accomplished what he had wanted to do for so many years!

Helen Keller once said that life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. You only have one life to live. Go ahead and do what you have longed to do. Stop listening to the negative voices around you. Allow your adventurous spirit to be released. Dare to really live! Experience the adventure that is waiting to be enjoyed by you!