When most people see me today it is hard for them to believe that I have experienced lots of failure in my life. Everyone sees the magazines, media attention and awards. However, very few people see the years of struggle, failure and adversity that have made me who I am today. It is troubling to me what I see happening in our culture. We gravitate more and more towards this idea of celebrity. While I do not see being a celebrity as a problem, I think we have done society a disservice. We have not opened up enough about the journey and the lessons that produce greatness in our lives. That is why I knew it was time for me to tell my entire story and that is why I decided to write Unbreakable.
Paths trodden:
Greatness does not come easy.
I remember many years ago having a dream in my heart. It was a big dream and one that I did not fully understand at the time. I wanted to empower people around the world to reach their full potential. However, I had no idea the difficulty that it would take to manifest the dream. You could not have told me the roller coaster ride I would have to experience to rise to prominence and success. From the beginning it has been a journey filled with winding roads and uncertainty. However, it taught me a valuable lesson. I learned that greatness does not come easy. In order to join the ranks of greatness you must be willing to elevate your life. Excuses will never produce the elevation that you are looking for. Easy will never define this human life. You have to reframe the failures of your life.
You have to reframe the failures of your life.
For every success you see in my life you can trace it back to a myriad of failures. My business almost collapsed three times. I know what it is like to have a dream and be completely broke. I know what it feels like to be mocked and criticised because you dared to step out on a dream in your heart. Hopelessness is an emotion that I know all too well. I even had a period where I completely shut my business down and I did not think I would ever recover. However, I know a secret and that secret is that failure is not final. Greatness is the ability to reframe the failures of your life and turn them into lessons. I always say that I did not fail I just simply learned what did not work. From those lessons I grew, evolved and became a much better version of myself. Failure never defined me but it deepened my roots in the mission that I know I was called to.
Life is about mystery and living with meaning.
If you told me years ago that I would be in the position that I am in today I would have laughed at you. Never in a million years did I imagine that my life would evolve into what it is today. I believe it is the mystery of life that matures us. Every phase develops us and empowers us to discover the wisdom and truths that produce greatness. It was the painful experiences of my life that revealed my power and released my potential. The mystery is the quest that causes us to relentlessly pursue purpose and realise our dreams. It was that pursuit that brought me into a level of living that I did not even know was possible.
I started realising that nothing in life just happens. Many of the things that we call coincidences are divine calls and prophetic pulls to embrace a higher mission. It was in the madness that I discovered the meaning of my life. Everything moulds us for our moment with greatness. Everybody is in search of more for their lives. However, living with meaning is how you get to the more.
It has taken me a lifetime to realise that my life is bigger than me.
In my earlier years I was so young, naive and immature. I think about all the times I made everything about me. Then it dawned on me that I am the author of my own story. No event or experience has the power to shape my life without my permission. That truth ignited me and radically shifted my life. You were created to leave a legacy through your life and your work.
Jamelle Sanders is a life coach, business coach, author and leading empowerment specialist. He is committed to empowering entrepreneurs and leaders around the world to profit in their businesses and live up to their true potential. He’s often called the soul coach because he helps people master their inner life, discover their authentic self and empowers them to position their life for total prosperity. Find out more at jamellesanders.com
