Believing In Yourself

How many times have you thought you couldn’t do something, and put it off, ‘knowing’ you wouldn’t be able to do it? Then you finally give it a try and find it was easier than you thought it would be. Then you wonder why you put it off for so long. And you may wonder why you didn’t have more faith in yourself.

Been there, done that!

How many of us live our lives not doing things because we’ve convinced ourselves that it was out of reach?

When I was young, I had all the excuses; I wasn’t smart enough; I didn’t have enough education; I didn’t have enough money, (for whatever… but it’s always a good excuse). An old saying says excuses are only important to the person giving them.

I believed all of my excuses, but after taking a break from my motorcycle club, and moving to Alaska in the 70s, I met a different kind of people. And I started reading different kinds of books. I learned that the way you think determines the way you live. If you think you can’t, you’re right. If you think you can, you can change your life and your whole world.

They have a saying; Conceive-Believe-Achieve

If you can conceive of something, have a dream, in other words, and believe you can do it, you can achieve it. I know this, because I did.

What would you like to do with your life? Sometimes that is the hardest question of all. People used to ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would reply, “Well, I’m twenty-six years old. I think I have a while to figure it out before I grow up.”
They would shake their heads and walk away, knowing I was hopeless.

My Early Days in Flying Airplanes

Then I decided I want to fly airplanes and maybe, just maybe, I could do it for a living. Getting paid for something I really wanted to do, instead of having to do, just to make money. What a concept1! But those excuses raised their ugly heads. I wasn’t smart enough. I wasn’t good at math. I got car sick if I wasn’t driving. I would surely get air sick.

Of course, those excuses were all in my mind, but then what has more control over our lives than our mind?

What do you want to do that you may think you can’t do ?

I’m not here to convince you to do anything, but if you have a burning desire to do something and think there is anything that stands in your way, I am here to tell you that the only thing or person standing in your way is you.

We’re talking within reason, of course. If you’re a girl, you’re probably not going to play in the NFL. It used to be, if you’re a guy you’re not going to be one of the Rockettes dancers. Today, that may be different, so that’s my point.

Flying for American Airlines

Timing may be everything.

In the 70s, there was no way I would have been an airline pilot. But in the 80s, the economic atmosphere changed, and I could scrape through. Not because I was such a good pilot (and I was), but because the airlines needed many people and I had gotten myself highly qualified despite my lack of education.

Had I not put myself into the position of being hired by American Airlines, I would have missed the boat.

You may be surprised to learn that an airline job was not my goal. I just wanted to fly and was at that time flying Learjets. I thought I had gone as high as I would ever get. Little did I know I would go even higher. Who was I listening to? Those excuses in my head. Finally, on a dare, I pushed myself to go further and, much to my surprise, it worked.

When you accomplish your goal, remember all the help you got along the way.

I didn’t do it alone. People you know who do little things or big things for you are always there for us. If you believe in yourself, you need to believe in them too. Things happen the way they’re supposed to. And it works both ways, so it is equally important to help others. You’ve heard the saying, “What goes around comes around.”

The moral of this story, and indeed my books, is never sell yourself short. I did it for years. I held myself back and somehow succeeded, anyway. Don’t be like me. Get out there and do it now. Whatever you think you need in your life. Go for it. You will not be disappointed.

Intentions Come True