Amighty oak tree began as a small acorn. A baby started as a small embryo. A river began as a few small drops of water that trickled into a ravine. You may be standing in a place where your life, your finances or your healing appear to be small. Yet, the seed of increase is within your situation.

I read the story of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's determination to work his body so that his mind would function well. His father told him, "You have the mind, but you have not the body, and without the help of the body the mind cannot go as far as it should. You must make the body." Roosevelt began exercising everyday. He worked out with weights, hiked, ice-skated, hunted, rowed, boxed and rode horseback. He worked his mind through reading about people who were fearless and those he admired.

Roosevelt knew that he possessed a sickly and puny body. He also knew that he could start where he was with something small. He could turn his status in life into something big and powerful if he would continue to press forward all the time. Roosevelt could not merely dream of something big for his life. He had to act on what he possessed.

Years later, after many major accomplishments in his life, Roosevelt died. At the time of his death they discovered a book under his pillow. He was faithful to continue in his pursuit as long as there was breath in his body. You can do the same thing. Take another look at the small thing in your life, your ministry or your business. What can you begin to do today? What can you do everyday that can result in increase? You were destined for increase. Begin a new habit today by acting rather than merely dreaming. Watch your small thing become big.

Focus on your objectives and not your obstacles. Most people look at situations from a negative vantage point. ·   

• What if something bad happens?

• Will I have enough money to do this?

• How will I get this done?

Looking at the difficulties causes people to be problem oriented rather than goal oriented.  It is easy to get hung up on the obstacles along the way and lose the joy of accomplishing the goal. Some of the obstacles may only be the imagination of problems and not the reality of the situation. 

President John F. Kennedy was a man who overcame many obstacles in life. While he was on active duty in the Pacific, the Japanese destroyed the boat under his command. Despite a back injury, he showed great heroism in rescuing his crew. Kennedy once said "A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality."

Do what you must do. Do it in spite of the obstacles on your path.

• What if something good happens?

• What if you locate enough money to finish the task?

• What if you find yourself accomplishing something you never thought you could do?

Keep a positive viewpoint and you'll achieve your goals despite the obstacles designed to hinder you.

The desire for comfort has created much of life as we know it. Air conditioners were invented to keep us cool during hot seasons. Roofs were installed to shelter us from rain, snow and insects. Electricity is used for many purposes including the provision of light in the midst of darkness. Commercials for new automobiles tout the latest amenities that you supposedly cannot live without. Although the desire for comfort may be one of life's priorities, comfort can also be a hindrance to achieving your goals.

T. Harv Eker, president of Peak Potentials Training went from zero to a millionaire in only two and a half years. He says: "the only time you are actually growing is when you are uncomfortable." Being comfortable may give you warm fuzzy feelings. Yet, these feelings do not usually cause you to grow. Successful people have learned how to live by becoming comfortable in the uncomfortable zone. The desire for comfort causes you to shrink back from your fears. The need for comfort keeps you from developing new relationships. You can see from these statements that comfort can be your enemy.

The next time you are uncomfortable, congratulate yourself. Say to yourself, I must really be growing. Now embrace those uncomfortable feelings. You have just entered your new season of being comfortable in being uncomfortable.

Find a way to win! Do not allow circumstances, emotions or the opinion of others to cause you to accept defeat. Figure out what you must do to win in your situation. The spirit of victory is inside you. Stay alert to the Holy Spirit who will lead you to your triumph. Great military figures always remain determined to win the war they are involved in.

One of the most controversial and yet colorful figures in military history was George Patton. His ruthless sweep across France during the summer of 1944 was contrary to military wisdom. Yet, his strategy culminated in spectacular success! One of Patton's main keys to victory was the undeniable spirit of victory that he instilled in his soldiers.

He is noted for saying the following: "Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow, and of the man who leads that gains the victory."

"Criticism is the death gargle of a nonachiever." The person who wrote this quote recognized that critical people are those who have failed to reach their own goals. They want to destroy your attempts to achieve. Rather than working on their own challenges, they spend time pointing out your alleged flaws. Your real challenge should be to focus on where you are going. Refuse to allow critical people to stop you in the pursuit of your goals.

Everything you have done is not wrong. Recognize that you have done some things right. Sir Winston Churchill, the early 1900s British politician, left us with many powerful words that can encourage us while we are moving forward. Churchill recognized that there are evil motives in some people. He was quick to vocalize his concerns about the menace of Adolf Hitler's Germany. Churchill repeated his warnings and as a result was appointed as prime minister in 1939. He was not merely being critical but presented facts. There is a time for releasing facts and information.

Churchill said, "the greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes." Don't allow critics to put you in bondage. Everything you have done is not wrong. Discover the good things you are doing and keep moving forward. Let the critics be the nonachievers. You be the achiever you were meant to be!

The quality of preparation determines the quality of your future assignment! Successful people have normally spent years preparing for their greatest accomplishments. They were willing to invest time, finances and lots of hard work into their dreams. Great athletes didn't give up when they were tired or injured. Physicians spent lots of long, sleepless nights studying and walking the corridors of hospitals. Many successful businessmen invested and then lost the investments. Yet, these people got up and tried again.

Times of stress, tiredness and loss are merely lessons that every successful person must walk through. Learning to see the preparation process in each difficult moment helps you better understand your assignment. You are not where you will be in the future. You are in your time of preparation.

Strive for quality rather than a quick fix. Keep getting up when you feel you have fallen down and are injured. Keep walking forward; don't retreat. Keep believing for restoration of any loss in your life. Before you know it, you will have moved into your future assignment. You were willing to prepare, and now you'll be known for the quality of your assignment!