Keeping on Track - Faith Doesn't Panic

By Boaz Rauchwerger

A very special person in my life shared an amazing thought the other day: Faith Doesn't Panic.
That thought seemed to go along with another similar one that I read in Dale Carnegie's book: "How to Win Friends and Influence People". That one stated: All Things Go to Teach Us Faith.

Let's take a closer look at the word Faith. Isn't it believing in something that cannot be seen?

Some people might say that they cannot believe in something they cannot see. To which I respond: What is it that they are breathing? Can they see air? Even though they cannot see it, they trust and believe that it will be there when they wake up each morning.

Whether you're religious or not, faith is an important element in each of us achieving more peace, happiness, contentment, good health, and success in our lives.

And the point above (Faith Doesn't Panic) is profound when it comes to the many challenges that life presents to each of us. My mother, who had a very positive attitude despite the loss of her large family in the Holocaust, taught me to be calm under fire. She ingrained into me the feeling that faith was an anchor that could hold a ship when tossed in a violent storm.

There have been many times in my life, when things seemed to fall apart, that I instinctively wanted to panic. Like the three times that I almost died. Like the time I spent a fortune to produce an infomercial that I thought would do great actually bombed. Like the time I spent a lot of money helping to build a company, only to have the owner take out a fortune and ruin the opportunity.

We all have our list of those moments, don't we? However, my mother's theory about being calm under fire, and my strong faith, helped me get through those moments. In essence, she was saying that Faith Doesn't Panic. Most people want to panic when things go drastically wrong. It's a natural, but counter productive, reaction.

According to my mother, what good will that do to panic? In most cases, it will not undo what happened. Her theory was to look for a point of action. What small step could be taken in a positive direction to improve the moment?

Sometimes, when we're very upset about an outcome, a small step might be to simply take a walk. Or it might mean calling a friend and cheering them up. I know what you may be thinking, "Boaz, you want me to cheer up somebody else when I'm upset?" Exactly right. Often, when we get out of our moment, and make someone else feel good, that action tends to help us feel better.

And, as the other thought above states: All Things Go to Teach Us Faith. The lesson there is the fact that in every challenge there is usually the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. That thought comes from the Napoleon Hill's book, "Think and Grow Rich".

Let's look for the lesson in those moments that we want to panic. Maybe it was meant for us to learn never to do that same thing again. Or, perhaps a different way to do it next time. There is usually a lesson and, when we recognize it, it often teaches us to simply have more faith.

If you've had a challenge dealing with moments that made you panic in the past, I suggest you post the sign "Faith Doesn't Panic" where you can see it every day. Touch it regularly and let it touch your mind and your heart.

A Faith Affirmation

I turn to faith when challenging moments occur.

Boaz Rauchwerger is an internationally known high performance coach. For nearly two decades, he has led thousands of seminars nationally and internationally on goal setting, empowerment, and self-esteem. Boaz can be reached at 619-723-3007 or through e-mail at: Boaz@BoazPower.com, or his website, www.boazpower.com

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