You gotta believe

I don't know about you, but I tend to be my biggest critic.

I am always pointing out what I am doing wrong. I am always slamming my mistakes. I am always broadcasting my failures to the world.

Sometimes I even think that the way to make someone else feel better about herself (or himself) is to put my own accomplishments down. To minimize my own efforts and my own attempts so that her lack of effort or attempts isn't so obvious. I try to make her feel like she isn't the only one.

She probably isn't; but a lot of times, it's not me who is in the same boat as she (or he) is.

I also RARELY believe in myself. I WANT to do great things; I just don't BELIEVE that I am capable. "Every human being wants success. Everybody wants the best this life can deliver. Nobody enjoys crawling, living in mediocrity. No one likes feeling second-class and feeling forced to go that way." The Magic of Thinking Big by David J Schwartz (my current personal development book).

Lately, I've been trying to discover WHY I think this way about myself because I sure don't think this about others. I mean, I try to be everyone's biggest cheerleader because I firmly BELIEVE that if she (or he) just puts her mind to something, she (or he) CAN achieve it.

I BELIEVE this...about others.

I wonder if maybe I feel this way because I equate belief in myself with someone who is full of herself/himself. You know the person I am referring to...can do no wrong...thinks his/her poop doesn't stink...always bragging...maybe I equate this belief in success with lack of humility.

I wonder if maybe I am afraid of success. That sounds crazy, I know. Who would be AFRAID of success? But I think I kind of am. Or maybe it's more a fear of taking the chance to see if I can be successful because with taking chances comes the risk of failure, and I know I am afraid of failing. I try to reduce that fear of failure or embarrassment from failing with an "okay-I'll-give-it-a-try-but-I-don't-think-it-will-work" attitude. That way, I can say, "See, I told you. I knew it wouldn't work; therefore, I don't have to feel embarrassed since I already stated that I knew it wouldn't work." The problem is that "The 'Okay-I'll-give-it-a-try-but-I-don't-think-it-will-work' attitude produces failures."

"Disbelief is negative power. When the mind disbelieves or doubts, the mind attracts 'reasons' to support the disbelief. Doubt, disbelief, the subconscious will to fail, the not really wanting to succeed, is responsible for most failures."

"Think doubt and fail.
Think victory and succeed."

I do think doubt. I do fail. But there are times when I believe I can and I do.

I think sometimes people confuse believing you can with wishing you can. Have you ever put the thought out there that you would like to achieve something and then, seemingly out of nowhere, the idea of HOW to do that thing you would like to do comes to you?

Yeah. That's happened to me. Many times. But guess what I tend to do? I tend to dismiss the idea. I overlook it and push it aside. I lack followthrough...BIG TIME. But guess what. Those ideas are not coming to us by accident. "There is nothing magical or mystical about the power of belief. Belief works this way. Belief, the 'I'm-positive-I-can' attitude, generates the power, skill, and energy needed to do. When you believe I-can-do-it, the HOW-to-do-it develops....Belief, STRONG BELIEF, triggers the mind to figure ways and means and how-to. And believing you can succeed makes others place confidence in you."

The person who BELIEVES takes action. The person who just wishes doesn't.

I am a person who typically wishes. I am also a person who typically gets jealous when others have what I am wishing for be it money, clothes, social status, happiness, a particular physique, success, possessions, etc. I think I get jealous because I know, deep down, that these people have what I am wishing for before because they have been willing to do what it takes to get those things...they BELIEVE in themselves and they follow through with their actions. I do not.

"Belief is the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish in life."

I am going to make this one of my new missions for 2015 (but starting today). I am going to strengthen my resolve in myself while maintaining my humility. When I achieve the "things" I set out to achieve, I am going to be grateful about them not smug. I want to BE awesome. I want to GROW in positive, meaningful ways. I want to INSPIRE others to do the same. I just want to BE the BEST person I am capable of being.

"A person is a product of his own thoughts. Believe Big. Adjust your thermostat forward. Launch your success offensive with honest, sincere belief that you can succeed. Believe big and grow big."