Prove It To Yourself First

CONVINCE: 

- to cause (someone) to believe that something is true
- to cause (someone) to agree to do something

PROVE:
- to learn or find out by experience
- to test the truth, validity, or genuineness of
- to test the worth or quality of, specifically: to compare against a standard

CONFIDENCE: 
- a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something
- a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstance
- faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way
- the quality or state of being certain

Many times it has been said that people who are determined to succeed have an urge to prove their critics wrong. I agree. The desire to rub success in the faces of doubters and naysayers can be a powerful incentive.

I submit to you that this is only part of the story. If you stop there, the glass stays half full. It is not enough to prove people wrong. There must be more. Here's why:

To seek your life's purpose solely in response to criticism is to live as described by Lao Tzu: "Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner."

Don't let life revolve only around what others think of you, good or bad. Les Brown says it best: "What others think of you is none of your business."  As you travel the road to achieving self-mastery, don't let your life get shrink-wrapped in a cocoon, held together by the opinions of supporters and detractors.

Your success is not about others, it's about you. It's a personal journey which helps you develop your unique talents, abilities, skills, and ultimately your greatness. On your terms.

Gaining confidence in your life isn't about convincing others to believe in you and your potential. It has to do with taking the time to prove to yourself what you are capable of doing. What others say about you is not as important as what you say about yourself.

People live below their potential not because the people in their midst have no faith in them, but because they have little to no faith in their own capabilities.

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low and reaching our mark." - Michelangelo

"The life you live is the result of the story you believe about yourself." - Les Brown

"Whatever you say after the words I AM will come looking for you." - Joel Osteen

Before you can prove to anyone else what you can do, you must prove it to yourself first. It doesn't matter how many people believe in you or what you can do, if you don't believe it first nothing of any significance will be accomplished.

Don't sweat over trying to convince others about how valuable or talented you are, or your product, your skills, even your service. That's not the starting block.

The person who must first be convinced is YOU. Whatever needs to happen in your life begins with you first. Michael Jackson was right; you have to start with the "man (or woman) in the mirror.."

Confidence, like success, works from the inside out, not the other way around. You may not be yet be an expert at the things you like to do, but neither were the experts when they started. 

As the saying goes, "every master was once a disaster." As you consistently apply yourself, making adjustments along the way your confidence level can't help but grow:

"You don't have to be great to get started but you have to get started to be great." - Zig Ziglar

"Sometimes you have to believe in somebody's belief in you until your own belief kicks in." - Les Brown

Think of the jar of water that is used to prime a pump. To draw the water from the well you must empty the jar of water into the pump. Then you keep working that pump until the well's water gushes out.

In like manner you must keep priming your pump with that jar of borrowed confidence until your own confidence bubbles up.

Ultimately that's what you want. To prove to yourself what you can do. To build your own confidence from the inside out. To convince yourself that you can do all that your heart desires to achieve. 

Nothing is more convincing to others than the knowledge that you are convinced within yourself about what you can do.  There's an old saying that's as wise as it is true: "Set yourself on fire and everyone will come watch you burn."

It's time to get fired up about yourself and your potential. Learn to emerge from the shadow of your fears and step into the light of your greatness.

Once you do so, not only will your light shine for all to see but at any given time you will do what Johnny Storm of Fantastic Four fame always says when it's time for action...

FLAME ON...!!!

That's all for now, gotta run.

Until next time, remember...

Keep it simple...   See ya!