Woody Allen once said that showing up is 90% of success. I do not remember being overwhelmed by the profundity of that observation whenever or wherever I first heard or read it, but I must confess that as I have matured my appreciation of it has considerably deepened. I have learned that consistently showing up is one of the most difficult challenges that we human beings face.

If human beings were machines, showing up wouldn’t be so challenging. But we are not machines. We are spirits that live in bodies and have souls. This whirl of different elements produces a whirl of different emotions and leads to a whirl of different attitudes and actions. Add to this mix the uncertainty of our environment and the influence of other people and events, and it is easy to understand why so many of us struggle to maintain a fixed sense of self. To be consistent, dependable, and reliable when there are so many internal and external forces pulling us in different directions is a challenge.

But it is a challenge that can, and must be overcome. And for those of us who do overcome this challenge, immense rewards await. So here’s my question for you today: how good are you at showing up?

The question that I just posed to you was also once posed about Jesus. As the purpose of his mission and the nature of his assignment became increasingly clear, the attitudes and opinions toward Jesus became increasingly hostile. The hostility intensified to such a degree that his disciples became increasingly worried about their safety. Soon, rumors began circulating that the leaders of Israel were secretly plotting his death. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, tensions boiled over. It was decided that Jesus had to go. According to John 11:53-56, this is what happened:

So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.It was now almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, and many people from all over the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the purification ceremony before Passover began. They kept looking for Jesus, but as they stood around in the Temple, they said to each other, “What do you think? He won’t come for Passover, will he?”

It would have been sensible and safe for Jesus to remain in the wilderness. But to fulfill his mission, he had to “show up.” Jesus had to face his fears, conquer his critics and handle his haters. If Jesus had not showed up, he would have imperiled God’s agenda for the salvation of humanity. Well, Jesus did show up. Not only did he come to the Passover. He was the Passover!

For us, the stakes may not be as high, but they are just as important. In our respective worlds, someone is wondering if you will show up.

Will you show up at work?

Will you show up at home?

Will you show up at church?

Will you show up at the birthday party?

Will you show up at the graduation?

Will you show up at the hospital?

Will you show up at the funeral?

Make the decision TODAY that you will show up, somewhere, for somebody. Luckily, showing up is not a skill reserved for the rarefied few. It is not an attribute limited to icons. Showing up is a muscle that we all can develop, so let me offer one suggestion on how to do so. For the next 30 days, choose to do one thing EVERY day. It could be making up your bed, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or even calling your mother. But the key is to do it every day—without exceptions, exemptions or excuses. If you can secure this victory, you will earn self respect and it will provide you with the blueprint to extend the victory into other areas of your life.

Try it. I know it works.