Make it Happen!

Make it Happen!

©Allen Merritt (2015)

This week I found myself driving to the grocery store. While I was stopped at a traffic light a truck pulled up right alongside me and edged forward just enough that I noticed that the back-end had a little message emblazoned on it.  The message read, “Make It Happen.” Since I am a person who enjoys finding the good news in unusual and unexpected places, I quickly grabbed my cell phone and took a snapshot of the tailgate message. And, I got it just before the light turned green and the truck disappeared down the road. What a great way to start out the day!  Make it happen!

How many times do we sit around waiting for the phone to ring or for circumstances to get better before we actually allow ourselves to move forward past obstacles? How often do we sit around feeling stuck in a rut and not knowing what to do with ourselves? I dare say everyone goes through these spells. However, the best way to dispel this negativity and wasted time is to get up and start doing something. Anything!

I know that when I get myself down to the gym, I am already heading down the right path. In fact, it happened yesterday. I felt a little at odds on what to do with myself all day long. I didn't have a job I had to get to. I didn't feel inspired or motivated toward doing anything in particular despite the fact that I had plenty of projects I could be working on. Blame it on the fact it was Friday or blame it on laziness, I don’t know. What I ended up doing to make myself feel better about sitting around all day was to get dressed and walk down to the gym. Before I knew it I accomplished 6 miles of activity on the treadmill and cycle. I made something happen AND it felt good. I felt better about having done something with myself that day.

Waiting for it to happen (whatever “it” may be) is like waiting to win the lottery and never buying a lotto ticket. I believe it is the same with almost everything we attempt or endeavor to accomplish. To achieve positive and successful results of any kind means taking action. Making it happen implies taking that action. Working toward realized goals or dreams despite any barriers takes an act of our own effort.

Remember the Nike message “Just Do It.”? It means the same thing: Make it happen.

• Want a job? Type up a resume and send it out. Fill out applications. Find networking events and attend them. Go to job fairs. Ask for referrals.
• Want to write? Buy a composition book and spend 15-20 minutes a day writing your personal thoughts. Start a blog and set a deadline. Write about what interests you. Send a letter to someone.
• Want to promote yourself? Begin social media campaigns. Post notes and messages about what you do. Get business cards. Send out postcards.

All of these help inspire your vision and help you visualize them into a reality. These are positive steps toward making “it” happen.  I think everyone needs a little help, encouragement and reminders here and there as we make our way. Even though we may know something, to understand it and actualize it can be daunting at times. Competition may be steep. Rejection may be unending. You may be living on breadcrumbs more often than not. But all it takes is one hit in a world of hits and misses to make something great finally come about. Success can be knocking at your door, but if you don’t buy that lotto ticket, you will never win the lottery. If you don’t keep plugging away at that goal, it will never be realized. If you don’t finish what you started, it will never be complete. You get the idea.

So what are you going to do this week?

I know what I am doing. I am going to keep chugging along and doing everything I can to remember that tailgate message from earlier this week.

“Make It Happen.”

I'm going to go for it. I'm going to do it. I am going to make it happen. No and's, if's or buts about it!

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Cheers!