You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive

Hear, O children of striving and resilience, the words of Ralph Marston, who spoke with the wisdom of persistence: “You’ve done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” In this utterance lies the eternal truth that the human spirit, though often pressed by trials, carries within it a deep well of strength. What has been accomplished once can be accomplished again, for the fire of ability does not die—it only waits to be rekindled.

The meaning of this teaching is that despair and frustration are not enemies to be feared but raw energies to be harnessed. When the heart grows weary, when the path seems blocked, it is easy to yield to hopelessness. But Marston reminds us that even frustration carries power. If turned inward in bitterness, it consumes the soul; if directed outward in courage, it becomes unstoppable determination. Thus, the wise do not waste their struggle; they transform it into fuel.

The origin of these words lies in Marston’s vocation as a writer of inspiration, where he sought to remind ordinary souls of their extraordinary potential. He observed that many give up not because they lack ability, but because they forget their own victories. By calling people to remember—“You’ve done it before”—he anchors their hope in lived truth, not idle fantasy. His counsel is practical, urging us to use past triumphs as proof that future triumphs are possible.

Consider the story of Abraham Lincoln, who failed in business, lost elections, and endured countless setbacks before becoming one of history’s greatest leaders. At each defeat, he might have surrendered to despair. Yet instead, he transformed his frustration into greater resolve, his failures into lessons. By remembering that he had risen before, he found the strength to rise again, until he carried a nation through its darkest hour. His life is living proof that frustration, when redirected, becomes power.

Think also of Helen Keller, who as a child was trapped in silence and darkness. Many thought her future hopeless. Yet her teacher Anne Sullivan helped her channel her frustration, teaching her that every struggle could be transformed into a stepping stone. Keller’s unstoppable determination turned despair into learning, and learning into influence that touched millions. Her story reveals the mighty truth of Marston’s words: frustration can destroy, or it can build greatness—it depends upon where we aim its energy.

O seekers of strength, understand this: when you face obstacles, you must remember your past victories. If once you overcame fear, you can do it again. If once you endured loss, you can endure again. Your past triumphs are not forgotten relics—they are stones in the foundation of your power. Use them as reminders that you are capable of rising, not once, but always, when life demands it.

Practical wisdom calls you: when frustration burns, do not let it corrode your heart. Pause, breathe, and turn it toward action. Write your goals clearly; let your past victories remind you that progress is possible. Surround yourself with voices of encouragement, and when the world doubts, whisper to yourself, “I have done it before; I shall do it again.” Train your frustration to become your servant, not your master, and it will carry you further than ease ever could.

Therefore, remember the counsel of Ralph Marston: “Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” Let this be your creed. For the greatest victories are not won in ease, but in the fires of trial, where frustration is transfigured into resolve. And the soul that learns this alchemy will be unbreakable, rising again and again, until every obstacle is overcome and every dream fulfilled.

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