I
don't know when I first heard this quote
nor how many times I have repeated it
since then. The number is high because I
seem to be running into a lot of people
who don't believe in themselves. Maybe
that's because in some areas of my life, I
am one of them.
It's
a bit comical to me when I think about
some of the things I've attempted to do
and fully expected I wouldn't be able to.
For example, many years ago I had two
failed attempts to complete the courses
necessary for my long overdue High School
Diploma. I picked courses I thought I
"should" have and that I
secretly believed were impossible for me.
Did I mention these were failed attempts?
When I finally acheived my goal I was
supported by a strong belief that I had
all the necessary ingredients to get what
I wanted.
What
chance do we have if we harbour an
underlying belief that we are not capable
of something? It boils down to an
expectation of failure. We all know people
who somehow, against all odds, become
wildly successful. Stories of living in
poverty and fear are eclipsed by their
determination to reach their goals. What
separates these people from those of us
who keep treading water is that they
believe they can do it. Most would tell
you that it never occurred to them that
they might not make it.
Believing
in ourselves may seem like a simple shift
in words. I've known people who repeated
affirmations and filled pages of journals
with dialogues about how they would
succeed. These can be powerful tools but
what amazes me is that when they fell
short they shrugged and said "Well,
I didn't really think it would
happen." You have to wonder
whether they believed in themselves in the
first place.
Thomas
Edison, a man who believed in himself,
once said "If we all did the things
we are capable of doing, we would
literally astound ourselves." How
cool is that?
Right
now there may be something exciting or
scary brewing inside of you. A dream you
have been holding onto; an idea you've
been wanting to chase; a goal you have
longed to move towards. Whatever it is,
take time to assess where you are on the
scale of believing in your ability to do
it. If everything you needed fell into
place what's the chances of you pulling it
off? Start believing in your incredible
self and see what you can create in your
world.
QUESTION
FOR THE MONTH: What do you truly believe
you can do and are ready to embrace?
