Finishing well
 10 Jan. 2008

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The New Year usually symbolizes new beginnings, new relationships, new chances, new looks, new decisions and new resolutions but I found out that it’s not just about starting after all.

An author once said, "Motivation gets you started, determination gets you going but character makes you finish well."

Motivation is a very essential element in starting something. This may either be through a person, a circumstance, or a simple desire to change or start anew. Motivation starts a vision in progress.

Then comes determination. Determination to reach the goal and to attain the vision keeps us going. This keeps the desire to win burn until the end of the race.

But the most essential of all is character. Character is what we do, what we think, and what we say when no one is watching. Character is putting our faith and surrendering our hopes to the very One we live for. This is the silent desire and innermost convictions of the human heart. This is saying no even when everyone says yes. This is sacrificing oneself for the sake of others even if no one is watching and this is selfless service and commitment with the goal of glorifying the One.

Starting well is different from finishing well. Finishing well is when you reach the finish line with cheers of victory, with pain because of hard work and with a full heart because you know you did everything possible and that at the end of the day you are a much better person.

One of the thoughts that inspire me most in building character are people who have disabilities but are full of character to stand up above their needs and press on.

In MSME for instance, we have seen People with Disabilities (PWDs) who have their own businesses and are successful in their respective fields. In past columns, we featured a person who has difficulty hearing but she was able to put up her own travel assistance company. We featured a guy inflicted with Pompe Disease but is now a Creatives Director. And the list goes on. They know what matters and it is not their circumstance, or physical condition, or their past. It is all about character.

As John Maxwell said, "Succeeding does matter but succeeding in something that does not matter is failure."

In all the resolutions and the newness that the New Year brings, I believe, the most important thing that matter is building ones character. This will not only make us qualified to succeed in career, family, and relationships, but most of all in life.

At the end of it all and once we reach the final accounting, wealth will not matter; fame will not matter; number of friends will not matter; and charity even will not matter. What matters is our character when we face our creator.

So as we welcome this year with new chances and resolutions, let us neither be discouraged of past disappointments, circumstances nor anticipated failures but let us make the decision of finishing well by building character.

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