Who You Are in Your Success Journey? A Question for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)

Arthur Ashe once said, "Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome."

We have seen and heard many success of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). To some extent, those are the people who have done what others did not want to do to attain what they have now. That entails discipline. We must be willing to sacrifice many things if we truly want to become successful.

Like our spending habits.

It's a cliche, yes,but the very reason why Filipinos leave home to work overseas is because of money. Agree?

Everyday, hundreds of Filipinos are being deployed to work in almost every single corner of the world. Some would go back home with dreams fulfilled but many are not fortunate enough and would go home empty.

This speaks a lot about how we, as people, spend our hard-earned money. While some are given the wisdom to become good stewards of their financial blessings, most of the OverseasFilipino Workers (OFWs) simply do not have adequate financial literacy. We spend a lot on the things we want rather than the things we need. In fact, Filipinos are known by the expatriate community as "one-day-millionaire."

Money, as most people believe, is a measure of one's success so if you do not know how to handle your finances well, you can be considered a failure.

Whether you become successful or not is a matter of choice.

Do you have a road map to success? Where are you now in the success journey? Are you in the middle of the race or just starting up? Well, let me help you identify "who" you are in your journey in fulfilling your dreams and be successful.

Below are the four types of "travelers" which John C. Maxwell listed in his book, "Your Road Map to Success". I just believe this will help you as it is helping me through my self-introspection.

1. Vince the Victim: Vince is very quick to tell you that it's not his fault that he isn't getting anywhere in life. He does not make any plans because he is busy focusing his time and energy on things outside his control - often from his past. He frequently blames others for his lack of progress and seems to be more concerned with finding excuses for failing than with seizing opportunities to grow. In his opinion, everyone and everything other than himself has made him who he is today.

2. Foot-dragging Freddie: Freddie worries too much about the past, and he doesn't want to think about the future. He is focused on the present. In fact, he loves the present so much that he is willing to do almost anything to maintain the status quo. He hates change and avoids it at all costs. If he is making any plans, they're to keep things the way they are.

3. Debbie the Dreamer: Debbie loves to plan, and she spends a lot of her time doing that. The problem is that she never turns her plans into action. She often has great ideas and says she wants to be successful , but she doesn't want to take any risks. She is not willing to pay the price required to move forward on the success journey.

4. Motivated Michael: Finally, there is Michael. He focuses the majority of his time on the present, doing his best to maximize his potential. But one reason he is so effective today is that he spent a portion of his time yesterday planning. As a result, he is focused on his purpose, he is growing toward his potential, and he is sowing seeds that benefit others out of the positive overflow in his life.

Now, "who" you are in your success journey?

As you contemplate, it is yet very important to seek God and His will. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord direct his steps".