The need to “believe in yourself” is a pretty common sentiment in our culture and society these days. From the childhood “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can” mantra of The Little Engine That Could, to the more grown-up definitions of self-belief and self-confidence, believing in oneself is considered quite important—and rightly so.
More Than Self-Belief
As a young man, I had a lot of ambition, and thankfully was blessed with the self-belief and determination to fulfill that ambition. After high school graduation I left my small Nebraska hometown with $35 in my pocket and big dreams, believing that I could make it in the world if I put my mind to it.
And I did. But was my success primarily a result of my own self-belief and hard work, or were there other factors at play?
I have no doubt that along with self-confidence, determination, hard work, and discipline, other elements like a little luck and a helping hand from others along the way were all factors in my success. But I also think that even more important than my belief in myself was my belief in what I was doing.
“More important than my belief in myself was my belief in what I was doing.”
Understand Your “Why”
I have heard author and speaker Michael Hyatt make the point several times about not losing sight of your “why.” By that he means, when working toward a goal, stay connected to the big reason you’re aiming for that goal—the inspiration and motivation behind all the work it takes to get there.
That’s great advice, but it hinges on your “why” being inspiring and motivating enough for your goal to remain worthwhile. So what is your “why?” Why do you want to achieve a particular goal? Why is it important to you? Why do you believe in it and the work it takes to get there?
You need to really believe in your “why.” If you are serious about achieving success, you need to be doing something you can believe in—something you can wholeheartedly get behind and work toward without vacillating about whether or not it’s important.
Believe in yourself, yes. But more importantly, do something you can believe in.
Question: Do you know what your “why” is for your number one goal and priority right now? Do you really believe in it?
