I feel like this is the best answer to the Jeopardy question, “What is the path to success?”

I have a thing for words, I’m sure you’ve noticed by now. “Try” is a personal favorite. The word “try” provides purpose, drive, and hope. “Try” isn’t something anyone can do lightly. “Try” means stepping up to failure with courage and stepping forward into the hope of success without fear. “Try” is boldness and fire. It seems odd but the word “try” makes me think of the times I’ve driven through forests blackened and destroyed from a fire. All you see at first glance is the charcoal, burnt, blackness. If you try a little though and you look past the charred damaged poles of wood that once were trees… you see hints of life.

Sprigs of green, twigs fiercely sprouting and suddenly your ears perk with the sounds of birds and the breeze through grass you didn’t even see. Giving up would be only looking at the blackened char and losing sight of the hope of life. Success comes when we try. Maybe not the first time or the tenth… but success is inevitable if we continue to try.

Resilience is living and seeing life through the devastation of fire. All we have to do is try. Boldly try.

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.