GO! Start “Where” you are

Chapter 11: Don’t wait for Inspiration, Start with Perspiration

“success is 10% Inspiration and 90% perspiration”

“Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working.”
- Henri Matisse

Will you feel inspired and motivated at times?
Yes absolutely you will, but those times are too far and in between. You can not rely on moments of inspiration as a substitute for dedication.
Moments of inspiration are awesome and to be embraced, celebrated and welcomed. But dedication is a commitment that you need to make. Something important to note is that perspiration fulfills the inspiration.
Learn to become devoted to your God given purpose. It is said that success is 10% Inspiration and 90% perspiration. Set apart time to plan. But just as important as that is you also need to set apart time to “do” the plan.
There is an old adage that says “if God wants me to do it then he will just make it happen.” The truth of the matter is that he will make it happen, but it might not be with you. He will have to make it happen using someone else to co-Labor with.
Going back to the story of Esther that I was talking about in chapter one, In regards to approaching the king uninvited and making a request to save her people from complete annihilation while at the same time risking her life. We see that her uncle Mordecai told her in regards to one of the 2 options that she had which one of them was to either act and the other was to ignore the situation entirely and do and say nothing. He said, “if" “you” remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]?”

You have a choice. But it is not always so blatantly obvious as it was in the case of Esther; most times it is more subtle. Just the other day I saw the movie “Harry Potter, the Order of the Phoenix”. In this movie the headmaster of Harry Potter’s school tells him, “Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right.” Hmm, interesting.
He didn’t say to choose between what is right and what is wrong. That would have been a more obvious choice right. The truth of the matter is what really holds back the mature and equipped from reaching their destiny is the choice between what is easy and what is right. Edmund Berk said, “All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
The easiest thing to do is to go about your life as if nothing has changed and I guarantee you nothing significant will. The easy thing to do is to do nothing different. But you are called to make a difference and that implies that you do something different. Choose the right thing not the easy thing.The effort and determination that you put towards your vision is the seed you are sowing. Don't wait for the rain to start sowing the seed, the seed has to already be in the ground when the rain comes. The rain represents opportunity and connections. But the opportunity can't find you waiting, it must find you ready. Seeds are not sown in the harvest, they are sown for a harvest. Be intentional. Below I list 3 steps that I have called the “Turn-key process”. I chose the word turn-key, because it implies action on your part but it also implies that the key is in your hand. Because it is, and it unlocks the door to your dreams.
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.” Matthew 16:19 (GW)
You literally hold the Key, because God gave it to you. And this is how we begin taking charge of it.
These are 3 things that must be followed to help assist you in turning the key. I cannot emphasize this point enough it is just as important as the goal itself, because this is the part that brings the goal to life and in doing this you begin to realize the goal. Without this part your goal will never be realized.
The Turn-key Process requires that you start doing.
#1.One “specific” thing,
#2 Once a week,
#3 For 30 minutes.
This one thing must absolutely be about your vision, if not it completely defeats the purpose, this is Not a time to pick up an old hobby or a new one.
Make a commitment to doing this regardless of if you feel like it or not. Most times you may not, but that shouldn't be an indication that you shouldn’t. Feelings have nothing to do with this, it’s about committing yourself to doing it. You are not going to wait for inspiration to hit you, you will have to set apart a designated “place and time” for this, and God will meet you there too “Co-Labor” with you.
Assign a place for this and a time and what day of the week you will work on this?? Think about it and write it down today.
Remember planning is part of this process.
By doing these 3 things, you are making room for God to move on your behalf. Pastor Rod Parsley said, “If you walk it out, God will WORK it out.”
Remember your current job and occupation doesn’t count as time put in. Dr. Myles Munroe said, “Your job is what they pay you to do, your purpose is what you were born to do.”
I am talking about your purpose here.
You must start doing this one thing at least once a week for 30 minutes for the next 2 months.
Then on the 3rd month increase the time from 30 minutes to 45 minutes or to an hour. Do that until you have whipped your “will” into action. Don’t focus on the fact that the time that I am suggesting for you to put in towards your purpose pales in comparison to the time that there is in a day, week and or month. Please don’t let small steps keep you from taking any steps! Your focus here is progress no matter how small it may be.
Then as time goes on you can increase the amount of time and number of days a week you put into it as you grow in your pursuit, but this is the minimum requirement and starting point. You can always add more time to your 30 minutes than I suggested but the length of time is not the purpose here. What I am trying to get you to do here is to “prioritize and execute”.
It's like the old adage says, “How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time.”
Do not bite off more than you can chew. I don’t want you to take on too much at once and get overwhelmed, because that's when people have the tendency to say, “forget it, I quit”. But when you decide to take on those designated slots of time with the process that I suggested, well then you start to pick up momentum.
Once a small snowball begins to roll down a snowy hill it increases momentum and size, just by rolling along, so get the ball rolling.
Zechariah 4:10 says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..”
God wants to see you start and he actually rejoices to see you begin. I understand you have responsibilities and work that have to be attended to so that process that I am suggesting is very doable and attainable.

Psalm 90:12 (The Voice) says,

“Teach us to number our days
so that we may truly live and achieve wisdom.”
How do we number our days, so that we can achieve wisdom and achieve our purpose? Well I believe there are a few simple ways to do it.
#1. Keep track of your progress (the reality might even show you the lack thereof)
#2. Be aware that time is a luxury that you are not guaranteed, so make the most of it.
#3.Stick to “The turn-key process”

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working.”
Pablo Picasso

As you work toward the goal that you have, don’t expect to get inspired to work; it’s working “it” that will inspire you.
Your perspiration will resuscitate your inspiration.