The other day I saw the movie “Lincoln.” To be honest, it was a bit long and boring, but in that way where I’m certain it will win some Academy Awards because it’s an important movie with an important message. A guy, going against the thoughts and beliefs of an entire country, shaking up the norm, standing behind his beliefs so much he’s willing to tarnish his absolutely perfect and popular reputation. Having little support, and yet, going for it anyway. Seeing the bigger picture at hand. Not just for today, or tomorrow, or his kids and family, but for the sake of the entire country, as a whole, for years and years to come. One decision changes everything. Doing whatever it takes to push through evil to get to good. And to do so because YOU know it’s the right thing to do. In your heart, you HAVE to. No matter what. And you’re willing to take foot to pavement (or rather boot to mud in this case) to convince others it’s important. You keep going, even when it seems so impossible and like there’s no end in sight.

I remembered a Lincoln quote that I’ve had pinned on my bulletin board for awhile: “I will prepare and someday my chance will come.”

So simple. And yet, so forgotten among many of us who wish to do great things and then find ourselves paralyzed within that vision.

We want to only prepare when we know our chance is coming. We want to only be ready when we think we’re going to find what we’re looking for. We want to know ahead of time what it’ll look like or that it’ll work out. But it doesn’t work that way. The important stuff happens behind the scenes, in the daily routines and rituals. The keeping on keeping on even when no one cares about the work you’re doing or no one reads the words you’re writing. It’s putting on an outfit when you have no idea whether or not you’ll even see a person. It’s preparing, every day, all the time, for the chance to happen. Because it will. If you act like it will, now.

I know this is true for you because it’s true for me. We all go through it. We’re all going through it right now on some levels I’d presume. So keep on going. Keep on fighting the good fight. Keep on believing in what you’re doing. And keep preparing. Your chance WILL come. And so will mine. I believe that will all my heart.

What “chances” have you been waiting for? What do you do when you find yourself wanting to give up? Share in the comments below.

Xo,

Sally Hope