You may not be aware that often, you do not attain the success you dream because you are sleeping with your enemies. Yes, you are if you allow these thoughts, the enemies of your success, to fill your mind. Perhaps, you are familiar with these them such as:
• “I’m too old for that”: People search high and low and spend time and money seeking the ever elusive ‘fountain of youth’ but when they are about to embark on any project or undertaking, they suddenly feel too old for it. Often, you try to duck responsibilities with lame excuses about your age. Think of the famous people who gained fortune and fame when they were past their youth. Among them are: Sylvester Stallone who developed his Rambo physique at 43, Grandma Moses who became a famous painter in her 70’s, Col. Sanders who started his Kentucky Chicken at his 60’s, Ronald Reagan who was elected president at 55, and many more famous late-bloomers. Remember that age is just a number and should not block your dream of success.
• “I am not qualified”: A college diploma may open some doors but it is not a sure key to success as proven by school-dropouts like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Your success in life depends mostly on you so do not make lack of formal education your reason for not attaining your goal — laziness is. Being a graduate of the ‘university of hard knocks’ gives you a better chance to succeed in life.
• “I have no time”: Time is the fairest of gift in life because it treats everybody equally. It allocates everyone exactly 24 hours per day, regardless of your status in life. If others can make so much of their 24 hours like the infirmed and disabled such as the blind Helen Keller and the autistic Albert Einstein, why can’t you? To those who are willing, everything is possible — to those who are not, nothing is possible.
• “It’s not the right time yet”: Never is the right time for those who procrastinate. Procrastination is the enemy of productivity and success. This alibi is only used by those who are lazy, those who lack confidence on themselves, or those overtaken by fear of failure. “Tomorrow” is their mantra in life because it never comes; it’s always one day away and is never “here” or “now” — but so does their success.
• “People will laugh at me”: Being too concerned about what others think makes you vulnerable to manipulation. You keep yourself shackled from living your own life because you are afraid to do what you really want to do for fear of others’ comments and opinions. You cannot please, and should not, please everyone at all times. You do not want to be laughed at and ridiculed but don’t you think that being a puppet makes you already to others?
• “It’s too difficult”: Nothing in life is easy. Even the simple act of walking, of putting one foot ahead of the other, is not easy. I should know because I’m disabled myself due to stroke. However, I am able to carry on with life because I want to, I have to. “Difficulty” is mostly in the mind and if you allow it to dominate your mind, you will be left paralyzed and disabled for the rest of your life.
• “I don’t have money”: Focusing on what you lack is not always being ‘practical’ but most of the time, just an alibi not to act. Concentrate on what you have instead such as time, health, intelligence, friends, etc — things that can be powerful than money. Many famous and wealthy people started their fortunes with virtually nothing like Andrew Carnegie, the “Steelman” after whom the Carnegie Hall was named. He was born in a one-room weaver’s cottage in Scotland; Chris Gardner after whose life the film “Pursuit of Happiness” was based. He used to live in the street with his son. He is now a bestseller author, famous motivational speaker, and CEO of Gardner Rich LLC in New York; or the personal finance guru Suze Orman who is now worth approximately $25 million, but used to live in a van in 1973. Ability, resourcefulness, and motivation could do more than what money can.
• “I feel safer where and what I am now”: But are you happier? Living is just a series of risks and being ready for them makes failure fewer and less costly if ever they come at all. Life is supposed to be full of challenges, unknowns, chaotic at times, but certainly full of possibilities. It is most bitter to regret having lost big opportunities in life when you could have won if only you tried.
• “Only a few make it”: Quit believing that good fortunes are destined only to a selected few. Nothing could be farther from the truth. These people succeed because they try to do a little more than the rest. They take action and refuse to surrender to status quo are not satisfied to be merely with herd. They are determined to succeed and they have the willpower to do so. Take note: ‘willpower’, not ‘luck’ to do so. Wouldn’t you want to be counted among the few?
If any or all of these thoughts enter your mind and you allow them to stay there, then you are sleeping with your own enemy to your success. The sooner you get rid of them, the faster will you attain what you dream of in life!