Overnight success often is 20yrs in the making...

I heard this quote a while back I think it was on a video feed from a catalyst conference or something. But the person said, "Most overnight successes are 20 years in the making." I didn't understand that a few years ago. I thought that people, organizations, ministries were just blessed by God or hard work or where at the right place at the right time and then bam! they were huge, organized, influential or wow worthy in an instance. While that does happen, it is not the normative chain of events. I now see that that The journey is long and tough but the results for those who stand the test of time are exciting.

When we started the church the Lord laid on my heart a vision the size of a city. He challenged my and spoke to me things that were so big they boggled my mind. I just assumed, (wrongly, mind you), that I was ready to handle the exciting things that he put in my heart. It will be three years in and this is what I have found:

• Things have moved a lot slower than I thought
• I was not as ready to handle the great things God laid on my heart
• The work he wanted to do in me was deeper than the work that can be seen on the outside right now... but that is critical for long term success
• God called my to a marathon and not a sprint
• It takes time for others to see what you see... It takes time to see what others see... It takes time for those two realities to morph into an action plan
• God gives you dreams and visions and heart felt plans so that he can show you what the Summit looks like... It is the journey up the mountain that makes the Summit sweet not necessarily the Summit itself... the picture alone drives you on when you feel no where nearthe summit
• The current Temperature of things is not a great indicator of the future reality... trends should be evaluated on if the lows are staying low or if they are increasing... Rather than if the highs are getting higher... Volatility is not the goal.
• God calls men and women to do great things not organizations... The man or woman God chooses must be continually shaped along the journey to handle what God wants to use them for...
• 3 years is not a long time
• More/Big is not necessarily better it just is more/big... Significant is the goal

So as we start membership and 40 people take a step towards the Summit that I hold in my heart I am excited because we are so much better than we have ever been and their is a lot of potential left for us. We are passionately working on making something significant and powerful and we are planning for the journey. It is an exciting time because I feel stronger and as a leader I feel ready to take the next several steps towards where God is taking us.

3 years are down 17 are left and then we can be considered an overnight success and people will stand back and think it was easy and given to us and think it exploded overnight and think we are something special. We will know the truth... we were faithful and didn't skip steps and we were patient and we were willing.

I don't know where you are at... but I do know that perspective will help you through it. May the Lord bless you and may you let Him prepare you as He sees fit. And enjoy the journey.

Comments

[Brenda Stewart]

Marcus Buckingham mentioned that quote in his video......it's a great one.

[Joseph Michelli]

Thank you for taking the time to read and review my book. I am in your debt.
Joseph Michelli, author of The Starbucks Experience