The next time you face a setback, keep this vision in mind. Slow down if you must. Keep going, and maintain a steady pace. If you’re tempted to step off the track, pull yourself together. And above all else, do whatever it takes to stay in the race.

What you leave behind to keep moving is just as important as what you do to move forward. Today’s setback isn’t the end. Success is right around the corner. Tomorrow is your chance to start again.

Prepare for goals and dreams the same as you would for an interview. Don’t wait to be perfect just to start, but make sure that you’re perfectly prepared. Results may not come as quickly as you like. You’ll make mistakes and face setbacks along the way. But if you focus on preparedness, not perfection, you’ll soon find your way.

Mindset is key. What you think about yourself becomes your reality. Believe that you can and you will. 

Pursuing dreams is like a plane trip. To start, you have to go to the airport. Your destination is clear, and you have a flight to catch.

Hesitation sets in as you drive into the terminal parking lot. You’ve already canceled this flight several times before. The thought of being out of control in the air makes you feel uneasy. This time you make it to the airport, but temptation to turn back hits you just before you board.

Imagine that you’re standing in front of a dartboard. Your eyes are covered, and you’re merely throwing darts. While you have an idea as to the board’s location, you don’t have a clear goal.

If you hope to increase your odds, you need to rely on more than just chance. Without a plan, it’s virtually impossible to know if you’re shooting in the right direction. Clarity will allow you to pursue goals with intention.

Imagine that you’re walking down a long hallway. You have no idea which key fits into which door or which door to try. The only thing you know is that opportunity could be on the other side, and any key in hand could be the right one.

Although possibilities are endless, real success is hard to come by. How do you figure out which key to use and which door is right?

What if a rubber band refused to stretch? It might not expand to reach its potential. It may lose elasticity and fail to get back in shape. It might not be willing to hold things in place.

A rubber band’s ability to stretch gives it value. Flexibility enables it to expand, and this leads to growth. While adaptability is essential, resilience allows it to bounce back to realize its full potential.

Imagine that you’re driving down a long road. This trip is different than many others, as you don’t have a navigation system or a map to follow. While your vision is clear, the destination is uncertain. Yet you know exactly where you want to end up.

There are detours, exits, rest stops and obstacles along the way. Some take you down dark, empty side streets. Others lead to lush scenery and roads paved with success.

Imagine that you’re running through an obstacle course. You have many challenges to overcome along the way. Some prompt you to stoop down, while others demand that you reach high. All require that you calculate risk and make quick decisions with ease.

Midway through the competition, you hit a big hurdle. To make it to the next level, you have to crawl under a barrier and raise the bar. Then, you have to find a way out of a small contained space to make it to the final stretch. You’re taken back by this obstacle, as you didn’t train for it. You’re determined to stand out, so you refocus your mind to push through a mental block.

Gifts and talents that come naturally to you may seem too simple. This may cause you to assume that others experience the same ease. In turn, you may view them as insignificant. While they may be effortless for you, this doesn’t make them unimportant. In fact, they're called gifts because they've been given to you by grace. It isn’t your role to determine their value. It’s your responsibility to take what you’ve been given and make the most of it.

Treasures are right before our eyes, yet many miss gems searching for pearls at the bottom of the sea. Potential isn’t something to find. It’s already inside. Possibilities aren’t just in dreams. It takes faith to believe.

True change is on the inside. Outside influences lose power to control you. But the impact of that change is only felt when you allow yourself to be stretched. While you may seek comfort, growth is limited by the familiar. If you hope to examine life beyond the four walls of your box, you must first be willing to step outside your comfort zone.

If a desire to change is stronger than fear of change, you’ll find the courage to take a step. Step into what you’re meant to do, and you’ll become all that you’re called to be.