The Enemy Within

The enemy within taunts you when you fail and undermines you when you succeed. The enemy within tells you in a whisper what you don’t deserve and shouts “I told you so” when you don’t get it. The enemy within lies to you but makes it sound true. How do you quiet the enemy within? As I have been watching the Olympics, it amazes me how much pressure under which these athletes have to perform. I become instantly competitive. I’m shouting at the tv “go! go!”. I found myself wanting to cry when the favored gymnast didn’t make the individual all around competition (but she came back and helped her team win the team gold) and wanting to cry again when I saw her shocked teammate make the all around and wanting to cry yet again, watching history being made when her other teammate’s dreams came true when she won the gold in the individual all around competition. Ups and downs, winning and losing, success and failure, joy and sadness, starting and finishing, all played out on the world stage. Some succeeded and some failed to do what they came there to do. Some will come back in four years and others know this was the last time. I couldn’t help but wonder what it must feel like coming home with those medals and what it must feel like not getting one. Some who didn’t accomplish the goal of obtaining a medal may feel dejected and some who medal may feel like this is the pinnacle of their life. How do we keep it all in perspective? Our successes and our failures. How do we not succumb to the enemy within?

Intellectually we know that the fact that they made it to the Olympics was a huge accomplishment whether they experienced glory or disappointment. Even those that tried and didn’t make it triumphed. Everyone loves a great comeback story. It gives them hope. But you don’t get the joy of coming back unless you experience the agony of failure. How do you quiet that lying whisper that tries to convince you to quit or worse yet convinces you to never try. What’s the secret to those who are willing to put it all on the line. They are willing to risk ridicule, rejection, stares, disapproval, even failure. What is it about some people that makes them push forward even in the face of failure and isolation? The difference between them and everyone else is that they believe. They believe in what has been placed inside of them. They don’t worry about what it looks like. They hear that same lying whisper everyone else does but they disregard it. Because they know it’s not the truth. Failing or succeeding is not the point. Your success as well as your failures can benefit the world. It’s all about perception. Don’t be afraid to live the life you were meant to live. You quiet the lying voice with your belief in the truth. The belief you had before life got in the way, before your failure or the failure of others changed your mind. The truth is still the truth it doesn’t change. The only thing that changes is your perception of the truth because of your experiences.

Believe the truth. You are already who you were created to be. Consult with your maker and Trust. What’s holding you back? Afraid of what people may think if you dare to live your life outside the lines? Much like our Olympic athletes, when you are finally living the life you were meant to live some of the same people you worry about will be genuinely happy for you, some will want to take the ride with you, some will be inspired by you and some will hate. But they will probably hate for the same reason you hesitate to live the life you were meant to live. They are afraid and resentful. Whatever the case may be your life could and should have a great impact on the world around you. Stop holding back and go for the Gold!