But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands.
—1 Kings 8:61
When Nikolay Avilov of the USSR set a world record of 8,454 points in the decathlon at the 1972 Olympics, Bruce Jenner watched his medal ceremony.
He has said, “I had what you might call a life-altering experience. I saw myself standing on that victory platform at the 1976 Olympic Games. Suddenly, I knew if I could do the work, I could win the Gold.”
Jenner returned to his dorm room about 11 p.m. that night, but he couldn’t sleep. The thought kept coming to him, “If you’re going to dedicate every second to winning the decathlon, what are you doing wasting your time in bed?” So he got up and went for a jog.
For the next four years, Jenner gave himself completely to his goal. Every decision he made was weighed against the question, “Will it increase my chances for winning the gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games?”
For Jenner, this wasn’t a business decision. He was strictly an amateur—one man going up against history in a contest that generally earned its winner the title of World’s Greatest Athlete.
In 1976, his moment came! He not only won the Gold, but set a new world record—8,634 points.
Are you fully committed to realizing your dreams? Make every decision based upon that commitment.
Excerpt permission granted by Honor Books, Inc.
Van Crouch is widely regarded as one of the best and more versatile speakers in America. As the founder and president of Van Crouch Communications, Van challenges individuals to achieve excellence in their lives. After ranking as a consistent sales leader with the American Express Company, Van went on to receive many awards for outstanding performance in the insurance industry and has been a qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table.
Van is the author of several bestselling books including Stay in the Game, Dare to Succeed, Take It Back, Winning 101, The C.E.O's Little Instruction Book and Storehouse Principle. Van is in demand for his thought-provoking seminars and keynote engagements to Fortune 500 companies, government organizations, professional and collegiate sports teams, churches and para-church organizations, and management and sales conventions worldwide.
When Van is at home he can be found at his home church, Living Word Christian Center, pastored by the internationally-known Dr. Bill Winston. Van is an active member of Dr. Winston's organization, Faith Ministries Alliance, where he participates regularly in training and encouraging other leaders.
Van Crouch has the ability to motivate people to raise their level of expectation. He will cause your attitude to become more positive, your problems smaller, your self-esteem and confidence will grow, and your self doubts disintegrate. He is sure to both inspire and challenge you. Van and his wife, Doni, reside in Wheaton, Illinois.