The biggest difference I’ve noticed between successful people and unsuccessful people isn’t intelligence or opportunity or resources. It’s the belief that they can make their goals happen. We all deal with vulnerability, uncertainty, and failure. Some of us trust that if we move forward anyway, then we will figure it out. I believe in myself. This confidence has made the difference for me again and again. I didn’t need intelligence or opportunity or resources. Just a simple belief in myself.
Do You Believe That Change Is Possible for You?
We believe that it is possible for human beings to improve. We believe that it is possible to raise the bar in your own life even if the world around you accepts average. We believe in ourselves and in each other. We believe that if you want better health or more happiness or a more meaningful job that you can make those things happen.
And because of this belief we are willing to test, experiment, and try new things even when we feel uncertain. If you don’t believe that it’s possible to make new things work, then it’s hard to make any progress. No matter how good your ideas are, nothing will work for you if you don’t believe in it. And more importantly, nothing will work if you don’t believe in yourself.
Without self-belief, we can never do the things we want. It’s difficult to be happy, have a career we enjoy, and make an impact on others if we keep doubting ourselves.
Without self-belief, we’ll go through life with our heads down, trying to avoid failure, criticism, and risk.
Without self-belief, we think we’ll never be enough. We keep chasing the next degree, experience, promotion, and so forth.
Without self-belief, no one else will believe in us either.
Other people are not better than you
In my experience, people don’t believe in themselves because they somehow assume others are better. “Oh, I could never do what that person did!” Why?
Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you.
Steve Jobs
Even Steve Jobs, arguably the most important person in the history of personal computing, smartphones, and tablets, had to remind himself that other people were no better than him.
He was of course Steve Jobs, an extremely gifted person. But you and I don’t have to build the most valuable company on the planet to realize we can also make an impact.
What’s the worst thing that can happen?
Every time you want to do something new and scary, ask yourself that question. You’ll find that there aren’t a lot of bad things that can happen.
How can we expect others to give us a chance or to bet on us if we don’t believe in ourselves? It just doesn’t happen. That’s why it’s important to believe in yourself every time you do something in your life and career.
- Want to create content online? The worst that can happen is that no one cares or that people hate it. So what? Try something else.
- Want to start a business? Maybe it fails. So what? Build another business.
- Want to get a new job? The worst that can happen is that your new job doesn’t work out and you hate it. So what? Find another job.
I remember always being apprehensive of sharing my thoughts through a blog. It’s now been 250+ days and the joy of just putting out my reflections everyday brings me great satisfaction!
Just don’t let a lack of self-belief be the reason you’ll regret things when you look back 10 or 20 years from now. Believe that you can do something you can put your mind to.
If others can learn something, so can you. Start small, keep it realistic, and make daily progress. If you keep that in mind, the worst that can happen ain’t so bad.
Kenrick Vaz 