When we were kids we would play a game called "Capture the flag", or if you are a little younger you might have played this on your Xbox or Playstation while playing Halo or COD. It's when you have to capture your opponents flag and make a stand by holding their base to make it your own. When you are successful you win. Usually you have to travel a great distance to get it, but when you do it feels amazing!!
You feel accomplished, you did the unthinkable, you beat the other guy and took what was theirs and made it your own. Sounds exciting right? Especially when you have a team and are able to do it on a measurable scale. What about in our life? How do we measure our goals, or know where we even started to get where we want to go? Well we know our flag is planted and its up to us to go and capture the other guys flag before they get ours...winner takes all.
In real life we sometimes forget where we, or even if at all, planted our flag and we look at our goals and dreams as this far off place that keeps getting pushed further, and further away by our opponent...life...and we just lose sight and hope of ever finishing the objective. We let our "team", friends, family, society, determine for us what should our objective be while no one has a clue where they are going. Everyone is waiting for the other to take charge and lead, only to put them down and tell them how stupid of an idea that is and its just a fantasy.
Your life will never change, and you will never move forward and achieve that passion that was set in your heart, that burned in your soul if you don't take a stand and plant your own flag!!! If you don't start somewhere all you will do is wander around aimlessly looking for someone to guide you. Why not take charge and guide yourself...PLAT THAT FLAG!! Take charge of your life and don't let anyone tell you that you can't achieve it.
We look around and see all these successful people and wonder how is it that they are successful and I'm not? Well, they planted their flag and said bring it on, because I'm coming for yours!! They didn't let those who didn't add value to their lives tell them they couldn't do something and went and did it anyway. They didn't want to see you succeed in the first place, so why allow them to tell you that you can't reach your goal when they don't have one themselves?!
You know the difference between Richard Branson and yourself? He planted his flag and you haven't yet!! You may not want to create a mega company, you may just want to aspire to own a home, or buy a car, or create your own company that adds value to your community. It takes focus and tenacity, but most importantly it takes you making a stand in your own mind that you will achieve what you want to accomplish!!
Being in the military I can not tell you how many times I have been told the phrase, "I couldn't do what you do.", or even how many times I said that myself. One thing is for sure, if I wanted to, I know I could, but if I were to keep telling myself "I couldn't do that" I just affirmed the God honest truth...I would never be able to do that or anything else. Why? because I just took my flag and laid it on the ground and stomped all over it. You don't have to be a doctor, or a Navy SEAL, or a fighter jet mechanic, that may not be what God meant for you to be. You maybe the person that invents a new way to clean a toilet, or save a firefighter, or drive a bus. That maybe who you are, but if you do not plant that flag, you will be mediocre, and will never achieve any fulfillment, and wander through life not knowing what value you added, or what you could've achieved.
The worst possible thing anyone can feel is the feeling of worthlessness and never feeling like they have achieved something significant. In order to do that you have to plant your flag and get moving. Take the stand and say to yourself you aren't going to let anyone take this from you!! You are going to plant your flag in other places that you will add value to others and make it your own!! Don't wander wondering if the other person is around the corner, run your race, take charge, and let the world see your flag flying from the top of that mountain called destiny!!