Top Five Dream-Squashers.

I am starting this article with an inspiring quote from one of my favorite authors:

“What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve” – Napolean Hill.

Deep inside, we know that this is a true statement.

Nevertheless, often times we find ourselves disappointed that we have not achieved what we desired. That, in spite of the fact that we live in this great country (U.S) that values individual peak performance, and bestows upon us all resources and freedom to pursue our desires.

Have you wondered why there is such disparity between the attainable and attained?

Well, I have often wondered why. I would like to share with you the top five reasons why I believe that it is so.

1. Failure to Believe in Achievability:
This takes me back to the Hill quote in the sense that, even though we have a burning desire, we fail to believe that we can achieve it. Our mind just doesn’t want to conceive and believe it. For this, we find innumerable reasons – my parents told me so, no one in my family has ever done this before, it’s not in my genes, I am not Bill Gates – etc. etc.

It can be an endless list of the impossibilities.

“I don’t believe in failure, because simply by saying you’ve failed, you’ve admitted you attempted. And anyone who attempts is not a failure.

Those who truly fail in my eyes are the ones who never try at all. The ones who sit on the couch and whine and moan and wait for the world to change for them.”

-― Sarah Dessen (Keeping the Moon)

What is the solution?

If you are truly passionate to achieve a certain goal, do yourself a favor by “believing” that you can achieve it.

I believe that “believing” is the first step.
Once you believe, the resources and opportunities will follow – The OmniForce / Mother Nature / God (whatever you wish to call that) will provide you the right tools to make your perfect sculpture.

2. Failure to Act:
Once you believe, you need to take action. Inaction or inertia to take that first big step and to persist at it is the second biggy on my list.

Let’s say, you have a goal to loose 10 pounds in 6 months. You have a well laid out plan with your personal trainer to exercise 45 minutes daily, 5 times a week for, for the next 6 months.
Unfortunately, you just can’t quit watching the prime time evening TV shows. And by the time you turn off the TV, you just can’t wait to roll and snore.

What happens at the end of 6 months? You gain 5 pounds!

Surprised?

This reminds me of another one of Hill’s quotes “If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self”. So, take action.

3. Fear of Failure:
We are often afraid that we will fail in our pursuit. So our mind tells us “just enjoy the moment”, and we fall back into our state of inertia. We trudge along, acting as if we are “happy”.

Fear of “falling” is a fairly natural emotion. But, shouldn’t it be the responsibility of every human to ensure that such fear does not stifle one’s ability to achieve one’s goals and desires?

Leave your fear behind; get out there and take action. The human mind is too precious a gift to waste.

“Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true” – Napolean Hill.

4. Failure to Ask:
The old wisdom says, “ask and you shall be given”.

Often, one critical must-do action step, to take you to your goal is to seek out and ask the right person. You cannot do it all alone; and do not underestimate the power of asking.

If you do not ask, they may not know that you even want it!. After all, you have nothing to loose from asking.

5. Fear of Success:This may see oxymoronic at first. But if we ponder a bit, at least some of us realize that, all other situations permitting, often times we are just afraid what success can do to us.

I’ve heard that thoughts like “too much money is not good” or “having too much responsibility can destroy me” haunt people.

And often times I have seen competent people pass up promotions (only to regret it later) solely because they didn’t think they were not up for the extra travel or thought that the added responsibilities would be too stressful.

If only they had thought about the new places they could see and new people they could meet with the extra travel; and the new skills they could learn with the added responsibilities!