CLICK!

     There’s an interesting phenomenon I’ve experienced when I, “click.” I’m not kidding, it almost feels like an actual click that shivers throughout my entire body, as if some gate of knowledge has suddenly snapped open. I’m sure it’s happened to you at least once in your life. You try and try to learn a particular skill, but just when you think you’re too dense to ever have the ability sink into your thick noggin, suddenly you get it—you click!

     I used to notice this in my police students when I was a field training officer. I’d watch day after day as the frustration would mount and they, and I, would wonder what exactly the problem was. Then suddenly, often after a night of sleep, or a couple days off, the student would perform the task skillfully.

     I’ve thought a lot about this phenomenon over the years, and especially on this path I’m currently on toward writing success. I couldn’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve clicked, or how many times I thought I never would (I’m currently in one of those now), but I have noticed a difference these days. With experience, I’ve realized that a significant portion of this clicking now involves trust—faith.

     You have to learn to trust that things will click for you if you have the stones to add a couple of components. First, you must resolve to never give up. My wife and I have achieved a certain amount of success, both in public safety professions, after coming from a literal rag-tag existence. We often say we achieved success, because we finally decided to quit complaining and gave ourselves no other options.

     Today, I’ve made the same bargain with myself; regarding my writing career, success is the only option I’ll allowed myself. Now if I could only work on making success happen sooner rather than later…. (I know, trust.)

     And remember when I say, never give up, I mean in the long run, keeping the eventual goal in mind. We’ll all fail and succeed alternately until our successes outnumber our failures. And like a good friend of mine often says, “I’ve sure learned a hell of a lot more from my failures in life than I ever did from my successes.” If one lane on your road to success isn’t producing, move over to the next, but keep moving forward.

     And finally, trust yourself that even if what you’re trying to learn seems impossible, you will click at some point. You’ll get it. It will happen for you. It’ll suddenly make sense. Also remember, success is contagious, your successes for you and for those who watch you succeed, and theirs for you when you watch them succeed—in that way we will all click!