I would like to believe that in  everyone’s life there are defining moments. Moments which, alter the entire course of your life. Moments where one is arrested dead in his or her tracks, breathless, yielded spirit, forced to give pause, to reflect. A moment that changes every fiber of your being. You are no longer the same. The same perhaps in form but not otherwise. A point of conversion, evolvement, a point of transformation. From these points in time your life can in no means reflect the brief moments before. Your entire core is shaken, you become unsettled, and your old ways of thinking are just untenable. Its like passing through a door with a one way entry.

I would like to think that everyone has such moments. I can not fully rest on my supposition. My experiences can not be held as model to that of the whole. Each of us are significantly different beings with varying experiences on this vast planet. Each with a different path to travel.

in a most defining moment I came to touch the coldness of humanity. I came to experience the hardness of the world and harrowing experience of isolation. To see the dearth that can exist between yearning and fulfillment. The absolute nature of the raw sting of  fevered desire when met with in-opportunity and diminished or defunct resourcefulness.

When forced to study in life’s classroom I learned of the destitution in the human spirit, the impoverishment of humanity, a world writhing in isolationism and devoid of compassion.

Lesson 1: There is very little that separates one from success and poverty. For many the only thing that separates one from success, destitution, wealth, or destruction is one moment in time.  One no, one yes, one windfall, one storm, just one moment can change everything.

Make the moments that you have. Know that on the morrow anything is possible. Never be unprepared, physically, emotionally, fiscally, and even more important spiritually.

Lesson 2: Everyone needs someone. You cannot make it in the world alone.

Lesson 3: Know what to expect. Best their expectations. 

The compassionate human being is a rarity.

This is troubling. Must one always be aware of the environment in which he or she operates in order to rise above.

• Don’t expect anyone to give you anything, not even an opportunity.
• Don’t expect anyone to listen to your story.
• Don’t expect anyone to want you to succeed.

This does not mean that the compassionate soul does not exist, but just that they are few and far between.

Lesson 4: The world regardless of where you go is capitalistic in nature.Money makes the world turn. Be prepared to pay. Nothing is without a price. There maybe times where you will come to a block in the road. You will not be able to pass without investment capital. Financial literacy, and access to capital is imperative. Having access to capital is about improving your options.

Lesson 5: The trek is not easy

Your way in life will not be easy. It will be very difficult. It will be a hard road to travel. There are some for whom this is not a truth, but those are exceptions to the rule.

There are many self-help sites and blogs that will tell you that anything is possible. It is. They do not tell you that life and all it entails is a struggle. Building success is arduous work. Sometimes it will take everything in you and it will leave you spent and tired. For some people no matter what they put into it they will not get that one thing they have labored so hard for.

Truth (In summation)

Though unpopular accepting truth is a necessary component of building success. “Life is not fair.”. “Opportunities are not equal.” “People are not  always compassionate.” Success is  10% talent and skill, 15% effort, but 75% chance. This formula can be flipped based on the level of access one has to resources and network capital. The more resources and people  available to you the greater probability you have of creating your own opportunities.

Hard work does have a pay off. Everything that you build with your hard work and effort will result in a solid and lasting foundation. What you build within yourself, knowledge, talent, skill, and character; no one can take away from you. That is a wealth that can never be depleted or displaced. That which  you possess you can pass on to enrich others and build un-formidable legacies. That is true success.