Success Principle 5 – BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

“You were not an accident. You were not mass produced. You are not an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the Earth by the Master Craftsman”

If you are going to be successful in creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen. You have to believe you have the right stuff, that you are able to pull it off. You have to believe in yourself. Whether you call it self-esteem, self-confidence, or self-assurance, it is a deep-seated belief that you have what it takes – the abilities, inner resources, talents, and skills to create your desired results. Paul the apostle understood this secret and so in Philippians 4:13 he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” That statement is a combination of self-confidence and God- Confidence.

Believing in yourself is a choice. It is an attitude you develop over time. Although it helps if you had positive and supportive persons, the fact is that most of us had run-of-the-mill parents who unconsciously passed on to us the same limiting beliefs and negative conditioning they grew up with.

But remember, the past is the past. There is no payoff for blaming them for your current level of self-confidence. It’s now your responsibility to take charge of your own self-concept and your beliefs. You must choose to believe that you can do anything you set your mind to – anything at all – because, in fact, you can. It might help you to know that the latest brain research now indicates that with enough positive self-talk and positive visualization combined with the proper training, coaching, and practice, anyone can learn to do almost anything.

Listen to what Henry Ford says: “I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to not know what can’t be done.” Again, along the same line of thought, Paul Scheele said, “The phrase I can’t is the most powerful force of negation in the human psyche.” If you are going to be successful, you need to give up the phrase “I can’t” and all of its cousins, such as “I wish I were able to.” The words I can’t actually disempower you; they actually make you weaker when you say them.

Your brain is designed to solve any problem and reach any goal that you give it. The words you think and say actually affect your body. You must take responsibility for removing I can’t from your vocabulary. Believing in yourself is more important than knowledge, training, or schooling.

 It will interest to know that 20% of America’s millionaires never set foot in college, and 21 of the 222 American listed as billionaires in 2003 never got their college diplomas, 2 never even finished high school. So, although education and a commitment to lifelong learning are essential to success, a formal degree isn’t a requirement.

Now, my question to you is this:  what do you belief about yourself? What others think about you is none of your business. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does. That’s what makes you a winner. Quit worrying what other people think about you and follow your heart.

NOTE: Adapted from Success Principles By Jack Canfield.