Keep Your Eyes On the Big Picture

Recently I was working on an article, entitled “I Wanna Get High.” As I started to write, I wondered who wanted to ‘get high.’ I thought about the shocking news intoxicating the airwaves that a beloved pop star had died. I also pondered seriously regarding the errors we continue to feed to our children through negative lyrics, myths, poor decision making and the keeping of wrong company.  

I have been high before, but the only high that I can speak of is my high with Jesus. When you are wrapped up, tied up and tangled up with Jesus, He takes you on highs that are void of dangers. Even if you had never been an addict before you would want to try Jesus, for like I said, getting high with Jesus, means you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

After writing three paragraphs, I changed my focus and shifted to this new article because I was distracted by an interview that my husband was watching on the television. They were interviewing Mr. Frank Robinson. He designed and manufactured the Robinson helicopters. I got very interested in his interview for as I started to pay keen attention, Mr. Robinson posited that he was nearing forty-three and he was getting depressed, since he had not yet started to do what he thought he would be doing at that age: designing and making helicopters.  

What made me listen even more keenly was the fact that Mr. Robinson said that one day he decided that he would just get up and do it. I wondered why he felt he could do it.  Did he really believe that he could design and manufacture helicopters? He was so passionate about his idea that he said he would give it a try. To cut a long story short, Mr. Robinson designed and manufactured the helicopters and named them after himself. He was so successful that I would not even attempt to write the amount of money that he made in a month. Even if I tried, maybe the zeros could not hold in a single line on this little paper. The point to note is that until this day, the Robinson helicopter is ranked second on the list of the most successful helicopters in the world, next to the UH1. 

The lessons that I have taken from the interview are listed below:

(1)  Age should not be a deterrent: Robinson was forty-three, so he could have easily said he was too old to be thinking of designing helicopters. He did not say that, he persevered. His age did not stop him from creating a product that contributed to the up liftment of his society.

(2)  Nothing Beats a Trial but a Failure: Mr. Robinson was not sure if he could design the helicopter but he got up from his sitting position on and said he would try. Do not be afraid to try new things, follow your passion, for this is one sure way to become self-fulfilled. My mom is always encouraging me to try new things; she often says that nothing beats a trial but a failure. It is better to try and fail than to fail only because you never tried.

(3)  Keep the big picture in mind:  I have the feeling that even after making the sketch of the Robinson helicopter, Mr. Robinson could see the helicopter, not for what it looked like at the moment but for what it was going to be in the end. Mr. Robinson was successful for he kept the end in mind.    It is not what you can do but what God can do through you.

(4)  Never Give Up: In order to be successful you have got to know the meaning of  

Perseverance. I am sure that Mr. Robinson came up on some tying moments but he did he give up. He was successful because he had passion, enthusiasm and perseverance.     

As students here at NCU, maybe you are becoming discouraged, disheartened and disillusioned. Maybe you are worried because your age is coming off the calendar and you have not yet realized your dreams. Maybe there are some things that you would like to accomplish but you are too afraid to try. If this sounds like you, I want to motivate you to go out there and give it your best try. Partner with Jesus and keep your eyes on the big picture. Most persons have regrets, not because they tried and failed but because they never tried at all.   

Jacqueline Champier

Behavioural Sciences Department