Usually, the difference between success and failure is attempt! Courage is more important than ability, faith is more powerful than experience, and action produces far more than knowledge. Ironically, the majority of our daily actions require taking a risk; in fact, progress and risk are synonymous. Thus, we must not only develop the ability to take calculated risks, decide confidently, and act quickly, but to also realize that avoiding failures, listening to fears and doubts, practicing idleness, and being content with mediocrity is just as risky. As Niccolo Machiavelli perfectly stated, we need to “make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth, [and to] develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.”

What are your goals and dreams in life? Would achieving them require you to take a risk? What is it that prevents you from taking that risk? The answer to such a question is different and personal for everyone; but undoubtedly, the answer falls under one of these categories: (more…)

Fear is unnecessary worry. Fear is a lack of self-confidence. Fear is evidence of an inability to control one’s thoughts. Fear is often the underlying reason for failure. Fear limits one’s potential because the thought of fear results in inaction. Fear, ironically, is both necessary and a protection; but unfortunately, people use fear’s protection as a sad justification and excuse for an inability to take a risk. Fear is in everyone. And thankfully, fear is controllable and can be overcome.

People everywhere are far more scared of actually accomplishing their dreams than they are of failing to achieve them. Being average, good, or mediocre is certainly easier and less-risky than the work necessary to be great and successful in anything! Despite our potential, ideas, goals and dreams – we allow our fears and doubts to become traitors and the result is always inaction and regret. (more…)

Successes are achieved, goals and dreams are obtained, and full potential is realized only by those who refused to become discouraged by their temporary set-backs, defeats, or failings. Unfortunately, we often fail to realize that defeats precede triumphs, losses accompany victories, discouragements foreshadow discoveries, and money lost can initiate incredible fortunes. For whatever reason though, in the moment of failure we wrongfully assume that we personally are failures – and we thus quit. Failure is not a person; it is an event that is absolutely necessary to achieve success. Our failures must be viewed as detours, not dead-end streets. And when such discouraging streets come, as they inevitably will, we should recognize that they are roadblocks that cause others to quit and us to try harder.

The word ‘failure’ by definition is associated with many negative connotations, images, and experiences. Our challenge is to (more…)

People everywhere have incredible ideas, hidden talents, unlimited potential, and reachable dreams, but they spend too much time listening to the voices of fear and doubt in their own minds that they thus never take a risk and put forth the necessary action required to realize those goals, dreams, and potential. They fail because they don’t attempt. Fears are thoughts of unnecessary worry and often demonstrate an inability to control one’s thoughts. Doubts are voices in one’s mind, or thoughts created by the irrelevant comments of others. Failures are events, not people. And the only limitations in life are the one’s we create, believe, and nourish within our own minds. Thus, allowing fears, doubts, and past or potential failures to occupy our mental energy is perhaps the greatest reason as to why (more…)

The only limitations in life are the ones we create, believe, and nourish within our own minds. Never forget that our weaknesses can become our strengths, our disabilities should reveal our incredible abilities, our fears should be indications of our potential, our failures must be lessons learned, and our challenges must only be road blocks and not dead-end streets. Certain circumstances may be unavoidable, but our potential, successes, and eventual destiny are created by us alone.

We literally can become and accomplish anything! And despite our uncontrollable circumstances, economic conditions, racial barriers, limiting disabilities, education obtained, or even previous failures experienced, we can accomplish any of our goals and dreams in life if only we learn how to ignore and eliminate the limitations that only exist within our own minds.

We must decide and commit now to (more…)

Failure is often the result of continual excuses that justify procrastination and produce inaction, while success is the culmination of personal responsibility, attributes developed, mentality changed, and continual effort exuded.

Excuses only accuse ourselves, reveal our weaknesses, and demonstrate our unwillingness to put forth action. In fact, believing we are incapable of greatness or that our dreams are impossible is merely a cover-up, an excuse, for avoiding personal responsibility, confronting our fears and critics, and retracting from the work success requires. Rudyard Kipling said it best when he penned: “we have forty million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse.”

Eliminating excuses, however, is futile unless we (more…)

GUEST POST – By Annabel Candy from www.getinthehotspot.com:

We all have fears. By hearing about other people who were scared, but found the courage to carry on regardless, more of us will be able to follow their example. 19 people who’ve successfully overcome their fears share their stories here:

Fear of Being Yourself

Robert Mack – I’m a 32 year old man. I was salutatorian of my high school class, a standout athlete, an Ivy League masters graduate, a professional model and actor, featured in TV shows for MTV, CBS, NBC and others and in magazines like Glamour, a Big 4 corporate consultant and executive coach to presidents and CEOs at Fortune 500 companies across the world… and deeply, seriously, strangely suicidal for years.

I’m now (more…)