I say "amazing," because it is. Have you ever attempted a three-point shot? I have, hundreds of times. Even close to the three-point line, the basket looks tiny. I'm afraid my success percentage is awful from that distance - maybe one in ten! The best shooters make four times that percentage - encumbered by fatigue and with defenders in their face!
How do they do it? Well, of course mechanics are important. You have to have a good stroke. But I've discovered that something else makes just as much difference: self-confidence.
Hall of Fame basketball legend Jerry West paraphrases what all the great shooters say: “If you don’t think you can, you won’t.”
Almost anything is possible if you put your mind to it. But the opposite is also true. If you’re convinced that something is not possible, then it’s highly unlikely that you’ll do the hard things needed to achieve it. If you can picture yourself reaching the goal, that’s the first step to making it a reality. If you can't do that, you might not even try.
Every goal has obstacles that can discourage you and cause you to doubt yourself. You may worry that others won’t support what you want to do. You may foresee tough problems. It’s all too easy to conclude that you'll fail.
The truth is, you can achieve almost any goal. You know you’re worthy of it—that you deserve the success. You can take the first step—imagine yourself achieving your goal. When you visualize the positive feelings and rewards, it will boost your confidence that you can make it happen.
A Fortune Cookie...
Make confidence your ally, and you’ll win most of your battles.
More Fortune Cookies...
Make confidence your ally, and you’ll win most of your battles.
The story behind the Fortune Cookies...
Post by Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D., , Copyright 2010. Building Personal Strength .
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2 comments:
I like it so much! Very inspiring!
Very inspiring post, Dennis! Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect
of our lives, yet so many people struggle to find it. The good news is that self-confidence can be learned and built on. One of the best ways to build self-confidence is to invest in others by building their confidence. I have found this approach to be a key to success for both other people and me!
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