"If you think you can or you think you can't - you're right!" Henry Ford
Principle 5 in The Success Principles by Jack Canfield and Janet Switzer is "believe in yourself". In that chapter Canfield refers to the negative power of the phrase "I can't"
Remember the story of the little engine that could? The little engine had to get a huge load up a huge hill. It seemed impossible but he kept trying and as he tried he said, "I think I can. I think I can?", until finally he made it.
I often feel like that little engine with one unfortunate difference. I hear another voice trying to cancel out my "I think I can" refrain. It is the insidious little voice of the conductor whispering, "No you can't. No you can't". And her voice sounds an awful lot like mine.
When I decided to quit the rat race and make my living without a job, I expected opposition. I expected negative voice to be coming from my family and my well meaning friends. But they all surprised me with their encouragement and support. I think that part of the reason is because many people secretly share my dream of making a living without a job. If I succeed then maybe someday they will too. They also love me and believe in me.
No that voice that says, "You can't make it," comes from inside me. I have to work every day to drown out that whisper. I have to keep my goals front and center and tell myself over and over that "I can!"
I carry a stack of 3" X 5" cards in my purse with my goals written on them stated as if they had already occurred. An example would be: "I am so excited that my book, Stress and the Single Mom has become an instant best seller and that Jay Leno has invited me to be his guest on the Tonight Show. (Feb 19, 2006). I say these affirmations each morning and each night. And whenever I find myself having to wait in line, I whip out my little cards and go over them again.
I know I will make my dreams come true. I am already living them out in so many ways but still I must work being positive every day. It is not as if I can conquer one success principle and then move on to the next. It is an on-going daily commitment. And it is worth the effort.
Every day my "I can" voice gets clearer and louder. And every day, that negative little whispering voice is gets fainter and weaker.
I don't know if I will ever totally silence that insidious conductor but he has definitely been demoted. I am the conductor now.
** Attn Ezine editors / Site owners ** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above.
(c) Jeanne Russell - All Rights reserved
-- Jeanne Russell is a mother writer and entrepreneur, She is founder of http://www.jeannerussell.com ( a website devoted to self-improvement and success) and also http://www.jeannerussell.com
premium house cleaning Glencoe ...Choice isn't always a matter of being able to choose... Read More
Friendly competition Get together with a group of like-minded friends... Read More
Most of my clients had a vision of the contribution... Read More
I bet you want to be wealthy, but somehow the... Read More
If we eat too much at home, the public eventually... Read More
No one becomes successful by accident. Success requires making a... Read More
I remember, about 35 years ago, reading two books by... Read More
Any person who goes through life without experiencing failure is... Read More
Success can easily be compared to the "genie trapped in... Read More
How do you land your dream job, win... Read More
Nobody becomes a success alone, period. There is no such... Read More
In Latin the word means 'to dare'.This word is so... Read More
"Never, never, never give up; never give up, never!." -... Read More
Have you ever thought about what makes a superstar? What... Read More
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.... Read More
With the end of the year fast approaching, now is... Read More
Persistence is the foundation of success. Although there are many... Read More
Many of the problems we have with discipline are caused... Read More
Please repeat these four words out loud: "Maximum Impact....Minimal Touch"... Read More
Have a therapeutic meltdown It's crunch time: you're two days... Read More
Routinely, I rise out of bed before the birds, and... Read More
To make change effective, you have to BE what you... Read More
What do we want most from life? Certainly, we all... Read More
Courage is something that is reflected and reciprocated, and is... Read More
I could labor the idea but then that would only... Read More
maide service in Lincolnshire ...If you were to evaluate the major influences in your... Read More
Choose "impossible" goals When faced with a hard-to-reach goal, your... Read More
Overnight success seems to be happening to a lot of... Read More
There are twelve necessary elements involved in achieving success:1. Spend... Read More
Let's set the scene. You're in a packed stadium. It's... Read More
If you want to be successful in life, business, or... Read More
We own a home on the island of Puerto Rico... Read More
Let's say you're moving forward in your efforts to achieve... Read More
Challenges posed by recent economic and market shifts, though predicted... Read More
As very few people achieve enlightenment in one lifetime, as... Read More
I confess, I love westerns. There is nothing like those... Read More
Here are seven essential keys to success. Use these ideas... Read More
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.... Read More
A couple days ago I was listening to a CD... Read More
We were at some friend's house the other day and... Read More
I don't need to be a gypsy fortune teller to... Read More
You may not realise it yet but you may have... Read More
People like to emerge as winners by hook or crook... Read More
If you are sick and tired of the dreaming phase... Read More
There are certain laws that when obeyed will bring great... Read More
Success isn't all that it's cracked up to be... I'm... Read More
Australians are loosing their laidback, carefree reputation, as we continue... Read More
Reading lots these days? Having trouble remembering and recalling? For... Read More
I receive several emails every week asking me about how... Read More
In Part Three, I promised we would get into the... Read More
Success |