Today. Hmmmmm What about it?

If only I set my mind on task, think of all the things in life I could accomplish. Continuing fervently in my efforts, I remain relentless while reaching for the goal until it is realized by the reward of my grasp.

I have read the stories of many great men, and the one thing they all have in common is determination! Their undying determination to do what they believe needs to be done. I am presently reading "Mighty Stonewall." By all accounts he was not a man apt to learning, but in spite of this, he was a graduate of West Point Academy and graduated number eleven overall.

Now you may think that being number eleven isn't all that great; but many times, success is not measured by the comparison of others to yourself, but rather the comparison of what you have done, in spite of the opposition and the obstacles that befall you. Stonewall Jackson. Stayed up past "lights out" EVERY NIGHT and burned the midnight oil going over and over the material of which he was given to study. Those, who were at West Point with him at the time, said he was the most determined man of his studies they had ever known. Jackson started way behind in his ranking of every subject he took; but by the end of his fourth year, he had moved to number eleven. His final ranking took into consideration his first years, of which he struggled tirelessly just to make the grade. Most people of that time were of the opinion if Jackson would have had two more years to attend West Point, he would have graduated with the number one ranking.

Jackson's motivating force????? Not to be number one, but rather personal achievement and to get the most from this educational opportunity; Jackson, not allowing himself to be detoured by his lack of natural ability, concluded West Point with extraordinary accomplishments. His ranking was just a side benefit of which his determination merited.

General Patton once said to a graduating class, of a school in which I cannot remember the name, "Never, never, never, never give up!"

If we could speak with these great men today, I am sure they would tell us, having goals are a necessity, but achieving those goals are accomplished on a day-to-day basis. Never quiting or never giving up isn't done over a period of a year or two, but rather, doing all you can today and starting tomorrow with the determination of doing what you can today in order to accomplish your life's goals.

Today......what about it? What will you do? Will you stay the course in spite of the narrow road ahead that may lead to the destination of your ambitions or will you quit and hope that tomorrow will reveal an interstate of luxurious travel to the same destination. If you choose the latter, I am afraid that you will find yourself unable to move out of the state of which you are in, for the road ahead is the road you must travel to find your way.