They did it and so will we!
“My culture does not honor the ancestors as a quaint spirituality of the past, but as a living source of strength for the present. They did it and so will we.”
— Steven Charleston
This past week, many people celebrated Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) and/or All Saints Day, remembering those who have gone before and brought us to today. When reflecting on what my ancestors mean to me I am reminded of this quote: “They did it and so will we.”
It is a powerful reminder that our future is dependent upon past persistence. As my executive coach reminds me, we need to measure effort at least as much as outcome. In the equation E+R=O, event plus response equals outcome, I only control the response, and the response is a result of effort.
We often hear great athletes when an equally great opponent defeats them say, “They played an outstanding game and they beat me today.” Both athletes exhibited exceptional effort yet only one emerged the winner. If our effort is well planned and well executed and the results do not achieve a desired outcome due to circumstances beyond our control, we must still celebrate the effort.
One of my coaching clients reminds me that the people of Appalachia are the sons and daughters of a resilient ancestry. They made a home in the mountains and were successful and today’s generation can do the same. As I consider my ancestors who staked a claim to farm ground in southwest Kansas, they too were resilient. They were successful despite the droughts of the 1930’s and 1950’s.
They did it and so will we.
As I invest effort into b3 Remarkable as a start-up company, I wrestle with doubts while simultaneously being inspired by those who have gone before me. They did it and so will I. Whether it is a single generation or multiple generations before me, others have accomplished much through much effort. They accomplished much and so will I.
I invite you to reflect on a few questions:
What effort did your ancestors exhibit to overcome difficult situations?
What effort will you exhibit in the next 1-2 weeks to help you achieve your goals?
How can you look to your past to influence your future?
