The Secret Of Success

by Claire Vorster
(Devon, UK)

'Success depends upon previous preparation. Without such preparation there is sure to be failure.' Confucius

If you have ever sat through an airline safety drill before take off, you may have been tempted to a wry smile at the bit where the immaculate air hostess says these words;

'in the event of a landing on water...'

It's a modern day miracle that 50 tons of metal, people and suitcases can fly in the first place, but land on water? How is that going to happen?

And yet on Jan. 15 2009, US Airways pilot Chesley B. Sullenberger III landed all 5o tons of his stricken A320 Airbus, definitively, gracefully and safely in New York City's frosty Hudson River. His crew followed their well practiced safety drills, deploying the inflatable slides that are carried for this kind of eventuality, the Airbus passengers braced for impact as they had been instructed.

All 155 passengers and crew made it out of the plane and onto dry land alive. And everyone was amazed, they celebrated and then the news cycle moved on to whatever made the news next.

Then I got to thinking about how much of our success in life depends on how we lay the groundwork. How the little things that we determine to do well, maybe unrewarded, maybe unnoticed, maybe just the day in day out stuff, how these things lay the groundwork for success. This is how we prepare for take off.

And I remembered Chesley B. Sullenberger III. If ever a man had a name for an occasion, it has to be this man. This is a man who lost not one but both engines about 3 minutes into his ascent above the New York City skyline. He had a few seconds to register the deathly quiet of his now powerless plane before deciding to try for a landing on the Hudson River in order to avoid a catastrophic crash in Manhattan or New Jersey.

Sullenberger had 19,000 hours flying time under his belt, he had also served time as a flight instructor, an accident investigator, in addition to consulting on airline safety. And he flew a glider as a hobby. On one day over New York, all this man's experience, and I mean all of it, was tested to the limit. 50 tons of aircraft heading south at around 150 mph (240 kph), 155 passengers, a couple of minutes to make a range of life or death decisions, and one text book river landing.

Much of our success in life depends on how we lay the groundwork. The little things that we determine to do well, day in day out. Not only did Sullenberger land his plane, he was the last to leave it, even though it was filling with water from the back. He checked the whole plane out twice, back and front, before he took care of his own safety.

I'm not sure any of us will be called to land a stricken plane on a frozen river any time soon. But we will have days that call us to higher places; days that call for courage, determination, flexibility, professionalism, calm in the face of a storm, sacrificial love.

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” Colin Powell, Four Star Army General, Retired

Success then is not an overnight sensation, a get rich quick scheme or a one size fits all approach. Your success cannot be measured simply by your job title, the car you drive or how many friends you have on Facebook. Success that lasts comes from the little things that we determine to do well, maybe unrewarded, maybe unnoticed, maybe just the day in day out stuff, these are the things that call us to higher places. This is how we prepare for take off.

'So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of.' Philippians 1 v9-10, The Message

Whatever higher place you are being called to, His love goes before you. You have only to ask and He will give you the grace and strength you need for the climb.

He believes in you!


Author Bio

Claire Vorster writes because she has seen miracles happen, love overcome death and shadows turn into light. If you are looking for encouragement and motivation for your day, you are welcome to check out http://www.clairesteaparty.com

When It Hurts Like Hell – Heaven Is Here by Claire Vorster, is available at Nook and iBooks now.