The Power of "Before"

Every glamorous moment in life requires a "before."

"Befores" are not always pretty but very necessary in the fabric of life. Your "Before" can be the time you are invested in your college degree. It might also be the investment necessary to launch a new business. We all go through Before in life.
I'll be honest with you, I struggle with my Befores. We all love the glamorous After but if we understand how fundamentally formative the Before can be, we will be more encouraged to hang in there. Here are few facts about Befores:

1. They're not Pretty - Befores are not attractive because you are preparing to get to your goal. Most people do not pay attention to backstage because it's just a place of preparation for the main stage. Your before might not be pretty but you need to hang in there and do what it takes in order to reach your after.
2. They're a lot of work - I recently read that for every 2 minutes of glamour there are 8 hours of preparation. Your Before is a place of work. I also heard that failing to prepare is preparing to fail. If you decide to be ready when your opportunity knocks, it will be too late. Before can be a lot of work but it's the moment to get ready to reach your opportunity.
3. No one will applaud you - a game is not won or lost on the court but during training. Few fans applaud an athlete in training. An athlete  prepares to win through discipline and determination. Don't expect many to applaud your Before. Still, it's very important to hold on to your goal with all your might. Take this time to develop resilience. Don't get sidetracked but get ready to reach your goal.

Living in the Before is not exciting but necessary in every life process. It's not pretty, it's a lot of work and no one will applaud you but it's important to prepare well. The Bible tells us to "be ready in season and out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2). What can you do in your Before to be ready for your After?