Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write down a major life goal you have yet to achieve or even begin to take action on. For each goal, write down three uncertainties (read: fears) you have relating to each goal. Break it down further, and write down three reasons for each uncertainty. When you have three reasons for your fear, you’ll be able to start processing the change because you know where the fear stems from. Now you’ll be able to make a smaller changes that push you towards your larger goal. So begins the process of “trusting yourself.”

I have a life goal of writing a book on a principle that I believe has brought success into my life.  That principle is to lead with humility, which can only happen if I embrace the fact that I am a sinner, but through the gospel, by faith, I am also righteous, holy and blameless.  It is quite the irony, and impossible for me to grasp apart from faith.  So with this goal I have several uncertainties.  First of all, I might be wrong about what has brought success into my life.  It could simply be luck, or the people I was lucky enough to hire, or my partner is the real reason.  Secondly, it might be a reason but I am not able to tell my story in a manner in which people could duplicate and find success themselves.  And finally I might write the book and find no one wants to read it, publish it, etc. causing the effort to be a complete waste of time.

My first uncertainty, is this really a reason for success may never be known. I can obtain feedback from within my company to test if humility is a factor.  I can collect stories from other people on their own work experiences, both good and bad.  I can read historical accounts of successful endeavors to see if I can observe if humility played a roll in the success of the team.

My second uncertainty, questioning my ability to help others with my story will have to be vetted out by attempting to teach the principle to others and obtaining feedback.  This could be accomplished through friends, through opportunities to put on seminars.  I might also grow by reading works by other successful authors on leading teams to see how my concepts integrate with their thoughts.  And finally I could gain insight as I offer my writing to others for their feed back.

My third uncertainty, will anyone be willing to publish the book, will remain uncertain unless I make the attempt.  My title might be too offensive, too religious, or not effective in explaining the concept.  I think with this uncertainty, I have to trust my heart.  I am not sure I know why my heart was drawn to the words that title this blog, only that I felt it necessary to walk this road.  I will learn from the commitment, good or bad, the end result will be a gain for me.  So this uncertainty will require that I leap and put the effort in.  If I put the work in and it falls short, I will learn about work and I will learn about why.  In both cases, I will be better prepared for what comes next.  I believe that Christ lives in me.  He is in my heart, and as I take steps of faith on what my heart thinks is good, I will find gain from the effort.