Great questions Lenora. Unfortunately, many people live in a place of fear and miss out on the "juice of life." There are different types of fear. Healthy fear where we know that something really is to be feared.

For example, the fear of health problems due to bad eating and exercising habits. It is in identifying the fear one is now in a position to do something about it. However, many people choose to stay in the fear and do nothing at all about it, or bury the fear and hope that it miraculously disappears.

Another type of fear is the fear we create from our imagination. The “what if” fear. What if I try something and it fails. What if I take this risk and I lose everything because of it? What if I write a book and people ridicule me?

It is this type of fear that can immobilize us and keep us living in the past or the future. As with the first example, it is in identifying what the fear is we are in a position to take action.

For example, “What if I try starting a business and I fail?” The first question to ask is, “Well, what if that did happen? What’s the worst that would come of it?” Be as honest with the answers as you can.

And then ask, “Okay, if I have the chance of failing, what do I need to do to minimize the risk? What information do I need, what courses can I take, who can I talk to and learn from, etc.”

Based on the answers, then be willing to take some type of action. It has been said that action cures fear. I used to keep that saying up in my office to give me the courage to walk through some fearful situations.

I can remember when I first began pursuing the dream of speaking professionally. There were many a time I had fear creep up. And there were some situations that supported my fear. What helped was to remember why I wanted to speak in the first place; think of what life could be like if I continued pursuing my dream; think of what life would be like if I gave up; and do it, do it, do it, until the fear all but disappeared. With each victory I was able to stretch myself a bit more and a bit more presenting to thousands of people over the years.

If I would have let those knocky knees, sweaty palms, faint feelings stop me, I would have missed so much.

Something that really drives me is to realize that life is in fact very short. Quite a cliché and yet, the truth. In a moment it can all change; it can all end. I don’t want to be one of those people who gets to the end of my life and says, I wish I would have, I wish I could have.

The opening quote in our book, The Law of Achievement, is “You will not discover your greatness by emulating someone else. You will only know your greatness by being who you are.”

The last thought in the book is ..

“The Last Achievement

It all will end one day.

Life as we know it is destined to change.

Our bodies will no longer house our heart’s desires and signs of our achievements will hang on a wall as a distant memory.

We will leave this earth. How and when we leave is a mystery. Until then, our life is in our hands. We are free to explore possibilities, express our potential and live our purpose.

Life’s achievements will pass and all that remains is the memory of the love we’ve left in the hearts of others.

Our desire in writing this book is that we will remain a gentle reminder in your heart.

Our desire for you is that you will leave a gentle reminder in the hearts of many.”

You ask what achievement is. Achievement is many things. Often when we hear the word achievement we think in terms of the externals; money, fame and fortune. Truth be told, often those are the wrong representations of achievement.

Achievement can be something as simple as being the best spouse we can be, the best parent, the best friend. It can be the person who has been critically injured speaking their first words when no one thought they would speak again.

Here is something from our book that may give you more insight into my (and Lori’s) definition of achievement.

Faith - The Foundation of Achievement

Faith is not solely reserved for the realm of the spiritual.

Faith allows us to cross all boundaries of limitation. Faith in ourselves is as important as a faith in something larger than self. It is a prerequisite in life calling upon the possibilities that have yet to be brought into existence.

We talk about “believing in ourselves,” “trusting ourselves,” and sometimes “having faith in ourselves,” but where do we look for an example of this faith? How are we taught to have an understanding of self so strong it is not shaken by failure or rejection, not shattered by fear or lost to desire? Who teaches us to have faith in ourselves regardless of the outcome or situation?

Our life will be filled with many teachers. Our wisest teachers are those we love and those that love us. Relationships grounded in love bring an unbending faith in each other. Having someone who can see your potential when you cannot and hold the faith that you will achieve the heights intended is the purpose of our relationships. We see these relationships in great teachers with their students, parents with their children, spouses with one another.

We all have evidence of how reliable and faithful we are when the chips are down. In looking for a little self–faith, the evidence is as close as an experience when we doubted we had the strength to get through but did so anyway.

Faith in another is a great gift; faith in self is even greater. Our lives are filled with memories of faith. We need only remember."

Thanks for asking.

Kathleen