I remember when I was afraid to step out of my comfort zone because I was riddled with fears and doubts. I spent 18 years in a profession I loathed because I felt inadequate and thought that I could not do anything else because I was not college educated. I spent even more time being an active alcoholic and drug addict because my mind told me I could not stop drinking or drugging. Insecurities, fears of being judged for who and what I was as a person, self loathing, and thoughts of failure and demise kept me down and built an inpenetrable wall around my life and allowed me to (as sick as this sounds) feel comfortable in my own skin. I had no knowledge of anything outside my own comfort zone, and certainly adapted to my surroundings like a baby bird in it’s nest. I was a failure and didn’t know it, I was a bad person and couldn’t see it, and my thoughts of me and my life kept me stagnant and stuck for not only years, but decades!!!!!! I finally realizesd that the only thing keeping me chained behind those walls, was me. I was the thief stealing precious years away from me, I was the creator of my fears and doubts that were holding me back and I was the judge and the jury of who and what I was, nobody else!!! I never tapped into my potential that was right inside me, I never sought out the resources to help me get moving. I never knew in my heart of hearts that life is like a car and I have control of the gas and the brakes and sadly, my foot was always on the brakes because of one reason or another that I created…Bottom line, I was the only person who was holding me back, I was the only one who was keeping me from becoming me, and I, and no one else, was the reason for my failures in life…Yes, I take full responsibility for it all and I now know that my foot is pedal to the metal.
No longer will I let fear dictate my life or keep me from reaching my goals. No longer will I let doubts or thoughts of inadequacies prevent me from reaching for my dreams. No longer will I see the darkness that may at times surround me, but will constantly search for the light and find my way out…..
Today is different. I have learned that the only thing that will stand in my way from achieving success in my life, is me. Empty fears, silly doubts, and everything else that inside and outside influences may throw at me, are all knocked back by courage, strength, anf faith, none of which ever existed in my life. I say this with every ounce of humility in my body, (and it is quite a big body, bahahaha) that I know now that I will succeed at anything I do because quitting is not an option. I am, and will always be, relentless in my pursuit of success, happiness, and peace…..
So how about you? Are your walls built up so high that you can not see what is on the other side? Do you go to a job you loathe every day because you are “comfortable” in it and afraid to do something you love for fear of failure? Are you the only thing stopping you from succeeding? Is life passing you by, day after day and year after year because your mind is telling you that you are not as good as or do not have what it takes to become somone you only dream to be??? WELL I CALL BULLSHIT!!!! You, me, we are all good enough and we do have what it takes. Think about this for a second, John Paul DeJoria set out on a dream and only had 700 dollars to his name. He believed in himself and was relentless on his quest to fulfill his dream and make the worlds best hair products. He worked endlessly and methodically and soon enough, his dream came true. He started a company, Paul Mitchell hair products, and is now worth over 4 billion dollars. He set out to succeed and make his dream a reality and did just that. Are you the next John Paul? Are you going to do everything in your power to make your dreams a reality????? I hope so…
I know for me, and I can have people who knew me back years ago attest to it, could not speak in front of ten people because of fear, and it was that fear that i created, that held me back. I finally asked the question to myself, “what was I fearful of?” I didn’t know the answer and pushed on!!! I know motivational speaking and inspiring people is my dream, my passion, and has become my purpose. I now, because I am relentless in my pursuit of my dreams, speak in front of hundreds and I know it in my heart of hearts, that soon enough, it will be thousands…..
Please, stop wasting precious time and pursue your destiny. Pursue your dreams and always dream big and in your pursuit, always keep your pedal to the metal and let nothing get in the way between you and your dreams…..
With all the respect for you in the world,
Rich Barnes
www.richfulthinking.com .