"ALL OR NOTHING"

                                        

                                                      Cultivating Your Gifts

            This time of year, during campaign season, you learn more than you want to know about the different candidates running for public office. The gloves come off and the mudslinging begins.

            Nothing is too dirty or unfair to throw at their opponents, they are all in obviously. All or nothing is their mindset which equates to by any means necessary. Dedicated to winning no matter the tactics just as long as they come out on top.

            Okay, there are different ways of fulfilling your dreams and accomplishments that don’t include underhanded practices, but simply by cultivating through a different means.

            Our passions shouldn’t be handled like a politician’s dirty ad campaign. This isn’t cultivating, by the way, but the defamation of someone else’s character as well as your own.

            The word cultivate means to educate, refine and humanize. Not tear down and destroy just for the sake of winning.

            You can still have it all while cultivating the gifts God has given you to become what he wants you to be. I’m not trying to turn this discussion into a political rant. But you have to admit it is fitting considering all the nonsense taking place with the elections. Also ubiquitous as it relates to cultivating gifts.

            The candidates running for office who will remain nameless, or inarguably gifted individuals. But cold blooded, vengeful people I must say, who are not all role models or trendsetters when going after their dreams.

They are some of the most cutthroat persons I’ve had the displeasure of seeing. Yet, the fact remains they are good at what they do and want the world to know it. They, however, go about it the wrong way. I do understand the passion behind their quest though.

            Not dismissing the apparent bad behavior, but I still admire the energy involved as it relates to the concept of all or nothing. The construct is way off because it should never be at the expense of assassinating someone else’s character, but won by determination and drive for success in a more positive and fair way.

 Hard work is how you cultivate. Teaching through positive actions is how it’s done. Reaching across different ethnicities, social and economic backgrounds are how you cultivate your gifts.  

            Gifts can be defined as talents, skill, ability, aptitude and help. However, if you chose to ignore all these things during the cultivating process, then it defeats the purpose, right?

            A gift really isn’t a gift if you withhold it from its purpose. It’s not meant to benefit some, but all when used accordingly.  No matter what your gifts are, the cultivating process is necessary to strengthen and grow.

            Generally, when we think of the word cultivate, we associate it with farming. But it goes much deeper than the plants and plowing. This word is far reaching with the ability to change mindsets and eventually the world.

            All or nothing is a positive outlook when setting goals for yourselves. You must adopt the attitude that you’re in it to win it, no matter what. But how, you win is still an important principle.

If you can take away one important bit of information I shared today, let it be the true meaning of cultivation. Remember improving oneself doesn’t mean stepping on hands and toes to reach your goals.

But a little shoulder, standing is okay and necessary. Most importantly, it exemplifies unity.

            Playing to win is the goal, but how you play the game speaks volumes. All or nothing doesn’t mean using a negative strategy. All or nothing is the key to success and should never approach anything in life halfheartedly, but the cultivation process is instrumentally how you achieve it.