Life gives us two options every day — wait for things to happen, or make them happen. Those who wait for things to happen miss out a great deal because they hardly or never happen. The best option is to decide what you want and pursue it.However long and complicated our endeavour might be, the first step we take really matters. If we prolong to take that first step, it only indicates our resistance to change and fear of failure. But remember, life rewards only risk takers.Life offers plenty of opportunities. The important thing in life is to shrug off the difficulties and mental dilemmas and keep moving forward to the goal. Leaping blindly into the unknown isn’t the most intelligent thing to do. But if we look logically at what we stand to gain and take calculated risks based on that, we are truly bound to win. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” asserts Helen Keller.Successful people do not depend on their luck. They take due responsibility for their life and thus they take advantage of chances and make the most of their life. That is why Virgil, the greatest of the Roman poets, wrote 2000 years ago, “Fortune sides with him who dares.”Rotary exhorts us not to lie anchored on the docks but be sailing in the sea. Ships are not meant to be resting in the harbour but to keep moving in the sea. Rotarians don’t want things to happen — they make things happen.Whilst in the mid sea, you may encounter storms, heavy weather and even a tsunami. Rotary is geared to meet the challenges and make a new route, where the existing route is not navigable.Many Rotary Leaders at the club or the District level are content with doing what their predecessors have done. They follow the path laid by previous leaders — and there is nothing wrong in doing so — but an innovative Leader dreams of innovative service ideas and creates a new path for others to follow. The needs of the community may change, so should our actions.As we embark upon a new idea, don’t be afraid of failures. Failure is a step towards success. Thomas Alva Edison failed many times in his attempt and he remained cheerful and said “I now know what NOT to do to succeed.”As Rotary Leaders in Club or District you must strive to be a pathfinder and chart new routes of service. The community is your best guide to show you where you are needed. It is up to you to fulfill the needs. The community needs food to nourish their body, education to nourish their minds and freedom to nourish their spirits. Let Rotary provide compassion and hope for their dreams to be realised.