Monday, October 7, 2002

Outnumbered

If you started to do something, then someone came up to you and expressed strong doubts about your ability to accomplish it, your confidence would likely be eroded. And just imagine what would happen if, after that, twenty more people came and offered the same negative opinion.

Such an experience would devastate the confidence of all but the most highly self-assured people. You might very well give up right then and there, before even getting started.

Now imagine what would happen if, after a single negative opinion, you received twenty positive opinions. If twenty people immediately offered their support and encouragement, that one expression of doubt would be all but forgotten.

In most cases the expressions of doubt you experience, as well as the expressions of encouragement, will not come from others, but from yourself. And so you have control over what they will be.

When a doubt arises in your mind you can learn from it and even make adjustments as a result of it. But you don’t have to let it overwhelm you by adding more of your own doubts on top of it.

Instead, choose to follow each thought of self doubt with so many more positive, encouraging thoughts that the original doubt itself is overwhelmed. When your doubts are outnumbered by a big enough margin, you’ll move steadily and confidently toward the goals you’ve set.

— Ralph Marston

Not without consequence       The higher you aim

Copyright ©2002 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.