Believe You Can

Success requires a can do attitude like the little blue engine who proved in the classic children's book the Little Blue Engine Who Could.

In 1930 Watty Piper personified a small engine that truly believed she could pull a long train over a steep hill. Constantly repeating her mantra, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!” She succeeded. Very soon the train was over the hill going down the other side. 

Becoming Aware of the Beliefs

How can you be more like the Little Blue Engine Who Could and reach your potential?

Your first step is to wipe out limiting beliefs. We all harbor them. John Assaraf in Murray Smith reported in their book The Answer, that by the time that children reach the age of 17 they have heard no you can’t a 150,000 times and yes you can only 5,000 times.

Combining mistakes and failures with a focus on faults and weaknesses in an environment of negative people, creates a rich breeding ground for self doubt. 

Perhaps the most common of all limiting beliefs is the idea that you can’t reach a certain level of success. On a scale of 1 to 10 you may think you can make it to a 7, but not a 10. If someone else has reached a 10, why can’t you? Really Think about it! Why can’t you? 

Once the seed of a limiting belief is planted in the mind, it is generally fertilized with negative self-talk. When the internal dialogue gets really going you say things like,”I can’t do anything right or I can never do that or I can’t make good decisions.” Many of these self limiting statements are simply excuses for something someone would rather not do or fearful of doing. For instance, someone could say, I could never stand up in front of people and give a presentation. Unless they literally can’t speak they are deceiving themselves by making such a statement. The more you make these kinds of false statements the more you’ll believe them. Soon you’ll experience a downward spiral of negativity in your life. 

How to get Beyond the Barriers

To get beyond the barriers of self-belief ask yourself this question: If I were paid a million dollars to figure out a way to do this task could I do it? If your answer is yes, then with focus and hard work you are capable of eliminating negative beliefs. In your quest to achieve your goals be confident in who you are and in your abilities! Don’t allow self defeating thoughts to limit your opportunities or prevent you from searching for solutions. Reach for the stars, give all you’ve got and don’t look back. 

Here’s my challenge to you: Starting today beware of the times you say, I can’t or any other self-limiting statement. When you find yourself saying such negative things immediately challenge yourself to do the very thing you said you couldn’t do. As you begin doing the very things you said you could not do your confidence will grow and you’ll feel great about the person you’re becoming. 

Here’s my final thought: If you believe you can, you can! If you believe you can’t you can’t!

To Your Success!

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