Position Yourself for Success – Part 3

Success belongs to the competent.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.” Increasing your competence at anything is like sharpening a dull axe. As the sharp axe will always turn out more efficient than the dull one, the competent will always turn out more efficient than the incompetent.

Consequent to being more effective, the competent always have better chances of being noticed and elevated by men than the incompetent. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people” The competent always reach a stage where man cannot but elevate them.

America’s 26th president, Theodore Reosevelt, once said “There are two kinds of success. One is the very rare kind that comes to the man that has the power to do what no one has the power to do. This is genius. But the average man who wins what we call success is not a genius. He is a man who has the ordinary qualities that he shares with his fellows, but who has developed these ordinary qualities to a more than ordinary degree.” Competence is seldom naturally acquired, but is habitually developed. The majority of the people that are successful in life have acquired a specific range of skills, knowledge, or abilities and developed them to a more than ordinary degree.

If you are to be successful in life, you need to acquire a specific range of skills, knowledge, or abilities and develop them to a more than ordinary degree.

Position Yourself for Success – Part 2

Opportunities are not always as visible {to us} as we might want them to be. They sometimes appear in the form of things that we have an aversion to. Work, failure, trials and charity are perfect examples.

Work – The late American Advice columnist, Ann Landers (1918-2002), once said, “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them.” Hard work is indispensible to success. It is an opportunity for you to determine the outcome of your life. Through your hard work, you will posses the power to determine your destiny. People that do not work lack the power to determine their destinies. It is rare for anyone to become successful in life without a positive work ethic.

Failure – Mary Pickford once said, “You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.” Yes, failure can be your opportunity for a fresh start. Whenever you fail you have an opportunity to start all over again. And when you start all over again after a failure, you have greater chances of success as you have with you new knowledge (about yourself and about the situation) that you can use to do things better.

Trials – In Romans 5:3-4, Paul notes that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (New International Version). Trials can be a remarkable opportunity for you to build your character. While your abilities may bring some success in life, only strong character can bring long-term success. As the saying goes, "Talents and charisma can take you to the top, but only character can keep you there." Your hope for success in life lies in strong character.

Charity – According to the bible, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35, New King James Version). Giving is an opportunity to give and receive blessings at the same time. Through your giving you make yourself an agent of God, minister to Jesus and open a bank account with God. God then credits our accounts with blessings whenever we give. These blessings do not always appear immediately but always add to our long-term success. God has vowed to remain indebted to no one but to reward everyone according to what they deserve.

Romans 8:28 says [that], “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (New King James). Develop a positive attitude towards work, failure, trials and charity – any one of them may be an opportunity in disguise.

Position Yourself for Success

This may come as no news to you but many of the successful people that I know are successful because they positioned themselves for success.  

How does one position himself for success?

I'm glad you asked because that is the question that I answer in this article.  In gist, I can say that one positions themselves by sharpening their skills and being at the right place, at the right time.  And doing so comes from being competent, diligent and patient in the things we do.  Below is my explanation of how.

n        Competence – Proverbs 22:29 says, "Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people" The skilful person is always hired and promoted ahead of the unskillful person. Yes, the skilful person's ability opens doors for him.  Through his competence, the skilful person gains the favour of man and receives promotion.  

n        Diligence – Ecclesiastes 11:6 says, "Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or both will do equally well" (New International Version).  The ability of the skilful person is not enough for him to succeed in life, at least not for the long haul.  For the skilful person to enjoy long-term success, he needs to make the most of his opportunities.  Any one of the opportunities that come his way may or may lead him to success.  But he will never know which one will lead him to success unless he makes the most of every opportunity.

n        Patience – Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything" (New International Version).  Galatians 6:9 says, "So let's not get tired… {for at} just the right time we will reap a harvest… if we don't give up" (New Living Translation).  The skillful person will come across the opportunity that will lead him to long-term success only if he carries on making the most of his opportunities. If he stops or lets any opportunity pass him by, he may miss the opportunity that will lead him to long-term success.  He needs to make the most of all his opportunities and believe that at the right time he will come across the opportunity that will lead him to long term success.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, "The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle.  The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skilful are not necessary wealthy.  And those that are educated don't always lead successful lives.  It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time" (New Living Translation).  Sheer ability is not enough to succeed in life, at least not for the long haul.  Proper positioning and timing are what bring about long-term success.