Lessons from a Life Already Lived

I suspect most will think that from the title that this will be about some great person's life. Maybe sayings used that allowed them to live a nearly flawless life on Earth? Perhaps, all the high points that they experienced and how they chose not to accept failure as an option? Why not? Even the last entry was a three-point guide for living by faith and not fears. However, it involved an individual that realized those principles at very low points in life. Just yesterday I was reminded that a person's defining moments in life, those times where our character is truly measured are in life's difficulties. Tenzing Norgay, half of a two-man team to climb Mount Everest said:

It has been a long road ... From a mountain coolie, a bearer of loads, to a wearer of a coat with rows of medals who is carried about in planes and worries about income tax.

His words imply struggle and perseverance not just the mountain-top experience. It is a well-rounded perspective given in just a few words on going from a nobody to a somebody. He recognized that he was not always the focus of attention. He remembered his humble beginnings as a yak herder not just his world recognition as a mountaineer that conquered Everest. He remembered his defining moments. What does this teach?

1. One can embrace all that life brings--the good and the bad--because both create your legacy.

2. Sorrows remembered sweeten present joy*. - Robert Pollok

3. Failure is an event—not a person*. –Zig Ziglar

4. Focusing on one’s difficulties creates discouragement, but embracing life’s challenges creates strength.

Don’t just choose to focus on all the good or all the bad. Choose to look at life differently, particularly from all angles--the good, the bad, the ugly, the unfair, etc. Embrace the fact that you were created for a purpose and that you owe it to yourself (and your Creator) to live life on purpose. Expect different results from adopting a different perspective.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. –Albert Einstein

* quotes from Zig Ziglar's book "Life Lifters"