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Daily Leadership Thought #164 – Most Of Our Barriers In Life Are Self-Imposed

June 29, 2011

Free Woman Sitting on Metal Gate Pass Beside Mud Road Stock Photo

Most of our barriers to success are self-imposed.  We are all capable of accomplishing much more than we think we can in life.  There are countless examples of ordinary people achieving extraordinary results through sheer grit, determination, and self-belief to allay our own anxieties and give us hope.   All it takes is a willingness to bet on yourself, accept some level of risk and failure and do the work necessary to give yourself a reasonable chance of success.  This doesn’t mean that it will come easy.  You may fail the first few times, but if you keep on pushing, learning from your mistakes, and asking for help when needed, there is a good chance you will end up exceeding your own expectations in business and life.

We get to choose how we define ourselves.  You can see yourself as capable and full of potential or not.  You can decide to tap into your strengths or constantly worry about your weaknesses.  You can opt to pursue your passions or take what you believe to be a safer, more conventional route.    You can surround yourself with people who lift you up or bring you down.  You can spend your energy explaining why things can’t happen or instead figure out how to overcome the inevitable obstacles in life.  You can be an optimist or pessimist.  To quote Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t — you’re right!

America is the land of opportunity.  While some people certainly start out with comparatively more advantages than others do, there are innumerable examples of self-made success stories.  People who started with nothing and achieved remarkable things personally and professionally.  As a society, we still value hard work, sacrifice, innovation, and risk taking.  Results still matter more than where you come from or who and what you know.  Don’t allow yourself to become one of those people who look back at the end of their life and regret their big decisions and bemoan their lack of accomplishment.  The biggest limitation you have in life is your perception of you!