when she reached her teen years. Even though Harriet Tubman was a slave, she knew deep inside that she was destined to do great things. She escaped her plantation and ran away to the north in 1849, and it was then that her destiny started to be revealed. Harriet Tubman did not stay in the safety of the northern region of the United States. Instead, she risked her life and returned to the south over and over again to help other slaves escape. She was an integral part of the Underground Railroad, which was a series of safe houses where slaves could stay on their journey to freedom.
Her enthusiasm for the antislavery movement gave her the power to succeed in extremely dangerous situations. Among hundreds of other slaves, she helped her seventy-year-old parents escape and was even a spy for the north during the Civil War. Harriet Tubman had an intense belief in freedom, and that sparked her effort to achieve the impossible. Her enthusiasm helped her to become a stunning success.
Do you want to accomplish great things in your life? Then find out what you believe in, what excites you, and what sparks your intense interest. That is where you will cultivate enthusiasm and have the opportunity to achieve success.
106
Once you begin to build enthusiasm, creativity is the natural next step. You may not think you are a creative person right now, but when you find something you are passionate about, you will be surprised at how it draws out your creativity.
When you strive for success, you are searching for that one thing that really piques your interest and makes you feel as though you have something important to contribute. Once you find it, your interest and excitement build. You start to look for ways to improve all aspects of it, and then your creativity kicks in. That is when you know you are really following your destiny. Your insides are telling you that you can add value to what you are focused on. You have an impulse to get involved and make changes for the better.
Write down the names of two or three individuals who you think are creative. What character traits do they share? What do they do that makes them creative? Is creativity a designation reserved for artistic types only, or do you know of any creative people in the business world, healthcare, construction, or other fields?
Now, take a look at your own creativity. Do you consider yourself a creative person? If not, what is stopping your creativity? Can you think of ways to make it flow more freely? What can you do to nurture your creativity?
Enthusiasm and creativity are naturally linked. When you find something you really feel enthusiastic about, you will want to study it and get involved in it. Then, your creative ability will emerge—if you let it.
107
On Day 104, we mentioned that the original Greek definition of enthusiasm is “being in the presence of a God”. We haven’t really touched much on spirituality yet, but how do you feel about that definition? Does enthusiasm feel like something bigger than just you?
Explore your thoughts on the word “enthusiasm” as defined as “God in us” and write in your journal about what comes up. You can have a strong religious background or be an atheist and still ponder this definition. Being in touch with your spiritual views is a very important part of your individual identity and therefore an important ingredient for your success. You don’t have to adhere to a specific religious belief in order to be successful, but it is important to explore your beliefs and your values. The better you know yourself, the more capable you will be of reaching success.
Read the quote above one more time. What is your gut reaction to reading it? Is it negative, indifferent, or positive? Why?
Remember, there is no right or wrong answer here. The only thing you must do is be honest with yourself. You don’t have to agree with any of the statements mentioned. Explore your thoughts and emotions on the subject honestly. Do you think of enthusiasm as God within you, or do you prefer another definition? What is your favorite definition of enthusiasm? Write it down and put it somewhere you will see it at least once a day for a week.
108
“That’s impossible!” Dan cried when he looked over the business proposal his partner handed him. “There is no way I can find the money to start this new branch of the business. This will never work. You might as well forget
