Many of us live in fear of “not being good enough.” We fear that we haven’t been given the gifts and talents that we need to succeed in life.
Instead of trusting that we have everything that we need to accomplish our goals, we live in fear of not being enough. We may ask, “Why me, when I’m not smart enough?” Or, “How could I succeed when I’m not pretty or handsome enough?” We may questions, “Why me, when I’m not charismatic enough?” All these fears add up to the one belief that prevents us from achieving our goals – I can’t. I’m not good enough.
Unfortunately, we live in a society that promotes these feelings of inadequacy. That is because most folks are quick to be critical of others and slow to pay a compliment. Given that pervasive attitude, it’s no small wonder that there are so many insecure people in this world.
Ignore the Negative Messages
As a result, the key to succeeding in life is to ignore the negative messages from the world and instead simply believe in yourself. For example, I was never a great student in high school. Nor was I particularly accomplished in either music or sports. So, no one ever told me, “Wow! You are going to accomplish great things in life.” In fact, most of the messages that I received were, “You’re OK. “ Or, “You aren’t as good as other people, but keep trying.”
I could have allowed these messages to hold me back in life. I could have listened to what other people said about me and believed that I could only look forward to an average life. However, I believed that I could accomplish any goal that I set my mind to achieving.
So, after high school I forged ahead with my blinders on, and I ignored the naysayers. And ultimately, I ended up graduating from both college and law school. Since that time, I’ve had a rewarding legal career, I’ve traveled all over the world, and so far, I’ve led a fairly interesting life. None of that would have happened if I’d listened to what the world said about me.
To Succeed, Identify Your Strengths
Now I’m not suggesting that you be unrealistic about your abilities. We all are limited in some ways by our physical and intellectual capabilities. For instance, I don’t have a mind for math. I can add, subtract, multiply and divide. That is where my math skills end. I simply could never be a high school math teacher or an economist. I don’t have the mind for it.
But my being “math challenged” doesn’t mean that I’m not good at other things. God has blessed me with the skill to write and the gift of encouraging others. And I have chosen to use those talents to serve the world at every opportunity.
So, stop listening to the voices that tell you that you aren’t good enough. Instead, listen to your heart. You have been endowed you with certain gifts and talents for a reason. Your job is to use those gifts and talents to fulfill your unique purpose for your life.
Realize that every person has been placed on this earth to make it a better place. And it is a tragedy that so many people allow their gifts to go unused. Consider all the homeless shelters and prisons. They are filled with individuals who’ve failed to use their talents to serve society and fulfill their purpose for their lives.
Each of us has a responsibility to ignore the voices that say, “You are not enough.” You are enough. You’ve been created to be enough. Believe that with every fiber of your being and go use your gifts and talents to do great things and serve the world. (To read about discovering your life purpose, click here.)
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