Joel Osteen on How to Be Successful

Guideposts Video: Inspiring True Stories

Rick Hamlin: What are a few things you say to people to help them become a success? 

Joel Osteen: Yeah. I think, you know, we’ve touched on some of it. One thing that’s helped me is to take one day at a time. Sometimes, when you look out and you think—oh, I can’t do this for another three years. I can’t raise this child. 

But if I can come back and say, you know what, I don’t have to do it for another three years. I just have to do it for another 24 hours. Or even, I’ve told people before, just do it hour-by-hour. You know what, I can make it another hour. 

I’m not going to focus on—so I think, one day at a time is important to know. You know things are going to change. And I believe, they’ll change for the better, but if you just take it one day at a time. 

I think too, just what I said, just finding some way to be grateful. Somehow get your mind off your problems, and think of something. To me the battle starts in our mind. 

I mean, I know you guys know this around here. But what you’re thinking about all day, you’re going to draw that in. So I just think, if you can get up and say, like David, this is not the day God’s given me. 

May be rainy, may be sunny, the economy may be good or down, but I’m going to choose to rejoice. I going to choose to be glad. So I think it starts in our mind. And like I said, doing stuff for others, and taking it one day at a time.