Raise the bar
When the Standard remains the goal, you will never know where your limits are...
Reverend CoJo
Not everyone is destined to be the leader of the free world. Not everyone is going to be CEO of a fortune five hundred company. Not everyone is going to be the next Denzel Washington. Not everybody is going to be the next reality television star. But, Everyone is capable of doing something positive. Everyone is capable of making an impact on something or someone somewhere. Everyone is capable of some form of success.
I live by a standard set a long time ago by my grandfather, that my father followed and I will follow. He made up in his mind that he would live a better life than what his parents lived, his children would be better off than he was, he would make a bigger impact than his parents. My grandfather grew up extremely poor, but he held true to what he promised himself. He didn't live the life of wealth, but he worked extremely hard to make sure his children had food and clothes. My father grew up poor but not poverty strickened, they had clothes, and food, and were allowed to play sports, but life wasn't peachy. But my father was even more so determined, to the point, he became a fireman so that he would have a steady income, and started an HVAC company, and recently started an HVAC consultation company. This provided me with well off lifestyle. I don't have to want for much of anything, everything is taken care of I don't have need to worry, I have an insanely big wardrobe. But that leaves me with some huge shoes to fill, considering his success plus mom is the Director of Intake for Juveniles across the entire county of Jefferson (the largest county in the state of Alabama). So in order to live up to my family name I am left to raise the bar even further.
I often say "Set the Standard," but sometimes the standard has already been set, you have to raise to the bar. And you could very well be reading this and thinking, "My mom is a junky, and my dad is in prison. I am not capable of being Mr. Fortune Five hundred, or the perfect father." Thats a load bull. It makes absolutely no difference what the problem, where you came from, who you are; to determine your future. All things are possible through Christ (ref. phillipians 4:13). That means with faith you can achieve all. The Lack of faith, kills marriages, careers, families, churches, friendships and more. But when you have faith everything falls into place (ref. Matthew 6:33). Without it you fail, you will lack peace, and understanding and will not epitomize the status of baller. But with faith....all things are possible, and I mean ALL THINGS.
It's a no brainer that you have to raise the bar from the standard that was set and met. I don't care if you have to climb mount Everest figuratively to get to a better life, if thats the task, thats what you need to do. The well being of you and yours is the most important. As Yourself do want to be remembered as that uncle who allowed his family to struggle of that Father who handled business and was the grew father, provider, worker, and influence on others.