I Tell Myself I Am Successful, People Just Don’t Know It Yet

And I hope you would too…

Success is a funny thing. Everyone has it, some just choose to ignore it.

We are told how hard work and hours upon hours are needed to become successful. What if that is wrong?

Maybe there is no definition of success. Maybe it is just very personal.

We seem to believe that success is extrinsic. I have affirmed the belief that it is intrinsic.

Here is how that works.

I don’t need a fancy car and a mansion to be successful

Don’t get me wrong — I may want it.

But fancy things don’t mean you are successful. Your net worth doesn’t mean you are successful.

If this was the case, every rich person would be happy.

If success comes into recognition, every famous person would be happy.

I do believe that success is within us. It is just grossly overrated.

When we find success in our own selves, it protrudes into external rewards. External rewards don’t only mean money.

Anything that involves some type of recognition or reward is what I am calling external — which involves other people.

Being rich isn’t a necessary external reward. Someone who could not find success in themself may not receive the external reward he desires.

That is my philosophy.

So what does finding success in one-self mean?

It means being peaceful and satisfied with what you have and then going after what you want.

People appreciate the ‘I am never satisfied’ mentality and, while it has its rewards, is it really the better approach?

Sure, don’t be overconfident and naïve. See your task through, but make sure that if it fails you don’t beat yourself over it.

That is the problem — negative self-talk that comes from not being able to do something you thought you could do.

When this happens, we make excuses. We despise those that have done it because it reminds us of a part of us that never was.

Excuses break you, gratitude makes you.

Let yourself dream

Dreaming is when success translates into external or desired rewards.

It is how people judge how successful you are.

This is a dangerous game. It makes people do stupid things, but it also allows others to make a massive difference.

People who go to the negative side of success, or as people like to say, ‘The dark side of success is the ones who want others to know they are as they say — successful.

But if you are so hell-bent on getting everyone to know you have made it, well, then have you made it?

My answer to this is no.

I believe success resides inward and dreams reside outwards.

If you are at peace with yourself and content with what you have, you are successful. Then your dreams are within your reach.

People think dreams lead to success — I believe it is the other way round.

I believe success leads to dreams.

If you are not at peace with yourself, no amount of ‘societal success’ will make you peaceful.

It is when you say, ‘I appreciate what I have,’ and mean it that you are truly successful.

You are your teammate

I no longer want to be in a race with myself. I don’t want to prove a point to myself.

External rewards mean nothing if you are not happy with being you.

Dreams don’t make you happy, peace does.

I am a firm believer in that.

Yes, dreams may cause temporary happiness — but that is just what it is — temporary.

If you dream of living in the biggest house, and you achieve it, what happens then?

When reality finally set in, you have to get over it.

If you are always living in a dreamland, you have to get back in touch with the truth. That can be relentless for some.

Gratefulness shuns excuses

It is easy to make excuses. You make excuses because you feel inferior to some extent to someone who had done it before.

If you are grateful, you have a strong fallback. You have so much to feel excited about.

It changes the pattern.

It also strengthens relationships. People who believe that things don’t generally work out for them are not the best friends for others.

What makes me successful?

I have a direction for myself now.

I know what I am doing has benefits and I can focus on constant improvement.

So many people crave it. Why wouldn’t they? It is what makes life worth living.

I should rephrase that. I believe I have a direction. That is the best I can do, right?

If it isn’t what I was looking for, you can always change it. That is, of course, not optimal, but sometimes patience leads to big rewards.

That is my last point.

It allows me to be patient.

If I tell myself I am successful, what is the point of chasing it? If success doesn’t mean money for me, I don’t have to feel discouraged if my efforts don't lead to enough money.

I don’t want to be feeling demotivated.

This way I draw in patience, I only have to wait now.

Of course, I can’t get carried away and think I have everything figured out. I have to be improving constantly, otherwise, that is pure arrogance.

I don’t want that. But this way I can be more patient than ever and stay focused.

People who get to the top in anything just persist more than most.

Why not make that our approach?