Recovery, resilience, success, failure… these all may circle around our determination. If you think about it nothing really comes to be if someone isn’t determined to make it happen. Work isn’t completed, paintings go unfinished, relationships end, healing doesn’t happen and choices aren’t made if we aren’t determined.

Looking specifically at recovery we have to be determined even before we truly recognize the need for recovery. Determination starts when we begin looking for a solution to the discontent we feel. For some this is acknowledging alcoholism, for others it may be seeing that they are struggling with stages in life or perhaps just searching for “what’s next.” Seeing the problem leads to seeking solutions and on to creating the change we need to succeed. Failure may seem inevitable in life but I’m starting to wonder if we can ever really fail if we are determined to succeed? Isn’t the determination alone overpowering the perceived failure?

Success isn’t in the solved problem or the healing… success is in the attitude. Determination holds all the power.

Sarah Deats

Sarah Deats is the Hope Inc. Stories Inspiration Engineer. Her goals are to make a connection with everyone that she can while building community, spreading hope, and sparking change. She believes that while life may not be easy, it is never lived alone.