Today’s message was originally a training I did for a group of entrepreneurs, then it turned into a sermon I delivered this past Sunday.
I was inspired to repurpose it for you! This is a longer message than usual, but I love this story so much I didn’t want to short-change you.
You will also find a video of a shortened version of my sermon at the bottom.
January is the time of year when many of us create a new vision, make resolutions, set new goals. There is something special about a new year that allows for a Vision to come forward.
I love the visioning process because I believe visioning is a way to tune into that higher frequency where possibilities lie, the potential of our highest good awaits.
When I was creating my own vision this year I was reminded of a story called “3 Feet from Gold” which is based on the principles outlined in Napoleon Hill’s famous New Thought book, Think and Grow Rich.
The story begins when an uncle of R.U. Darby was caught by the gold-rush fever.
He didn’t really know anything about mining … he just wanted to find gold.
He had not studied mining … he simply staked a claim … and went to work. After weeks of manual labor, Darby’s uncle was rewarded with the discovery of gold.
They soon discovered they had hit … a gold mine!
They kept digging and were doing well when suddenly the gold simply disappeared.
It wasn’t long before their disappointment and impatience got the best of them and they decided to quit.
Discouraged and defeated, Darby and his uncle sold both their mine and their equipment to a local junkman … for just a few hundred dollars.
Now … for years this junkman had been looking for an opportunity to break into the mining industry.
It was something that he visualized, and he had studied mining for over a decade and had always believed that this was his destiny. He had a vision that compelled him forward.
The junkman was passionate about the idea of mining … this was a dream of his!
He knew that one day there would be the perfect opportunity.
He was prepared to go all the way to make his vision a reality and so he was smart enough to get help once the opportunity did come his way.
With the deed in hand, he hired a mining engineer to inspect the claim.
The new owner followed his simple instructions and, sure enough, he struck gold a mere three feet away from where the Darby’s had quit mining.
The junkman retrieved millions of dollars in gold from the site.
He succeeded where Darby and his uncle had failed because of his determination to fulfill his dream and vision.
You know that famous saying … Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity?
I have a belief that if you have a vision, what I think of as a destiny vision like the junkman had. One that feels like it is meant to be.
And it just feels good when you imagine it being a reality. It is so compelling you hold that vision and do the inner and outer work to make it a reality.
Because quitting is what most people do.
I actually found a statistic on this. 92% of people give up on their goals.
People like The Darbys quit … because they are not committed to their vision.
And the junkman, in contrast, had a vision that he was committed to.
And that is the difference between having wishful thinking about your vision and being committed to your vision.
Now there is one more part to the story of R.U. Darby.
RU Darby learned from his mistake and used that lesson to create success.
Darby went into the life insurance business.
And he vowed in his new business to never give up just because someone said ‘no’ to him when he asked them to buy insurance.
So Darby, never again, stopped 3 feet from gold.
In fact, he became one of just a handful of people who sold over a million dollars in life insurance annually.
This is the other important aspect of visioning. Mr. Darby had a vision of becoming wealthy.
It could be that he didn’t have the commitment to see it through.
Maybe it wasn’t his to do. Maybe it was the perfect way for him to learn the lesson he most needed to make his real vision a reality.
Whenever you feel like giving up on your dream … just keep going.
Take the steps that feel right, accept the failures, glean the lessons they bring, and allow the universe to conspire with you to bring your vision to life.
You never know when you might be 3 feet from gold!
There is still time to sign up for my Soul Strategy Vision for Coaches Retreat coming up on Saturday, January 29. Send me an email if you would like more information!
Read Napolean Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich, to learn the whole “Three Feet from Gold” story!
