A Season to Believe

© tashatuvango

For many of you, it's easier to believe in Santa Claus than to believe in yourself. Often you've just fallen victim to the naysayers in your life who can't understand your passion and are waiting for you to get a real job. For others, it's simply a lack of confidence and a desire to rush the process.

Years ago Michele Celentano spoke at a program Scott Bourne, and I were doing with GoingPro. She put everybody at ease with her first words:

"Twenty years ago I was sitting right where you are and wondering how long it would be before my work didn't suck!"

She then shared a dozen of the worst wedding images any of us had ever seen. Seriously, this was the stuff people write jokes about that circulate through social media. Michele never let anything get in the way of pursuing her dreams and even today she is as much a student as she is one of the industry's leading educators.

Here's the challenge we all face: We're bombarded by all the noise in our lives. Our dreams and aspirations often compete with the day in day out challenges in life. Too often we simply get tired and convince ourselves we're burning out; questioning our talent or just wondering if we've chosen the right path.  Look, it happens to everybody, including yours truly.

But here's what helps me personally. First, I have an amazing partner to help me stay focused, my wife, Sheila. Second, I have some incredible friends, and we all watch each other's backs. Third, I'm slowly learning to step away from the business when I'm simply on overload. Fourth, I've tried to remove the negative people in my life. And last on the list, I try and read or watch something motivational on a regular basis.

Here's are two prime examples, which I shared in posts a few years ago, and they're perfect to help me make the point this morning:

With the holiday weekend coming up just about everybody is going to have an opportunity to just kick back and step away from the business. Stop wasting time doubting yourself.  Believe in yourself and your dreams. I love this quote from Jon Bon Jovi:

Believe in love. Believe in magic. Hell, believe in Santa Claus.
Believe in others. Believe in yourself.
Believe in your dreams. If you don't who will?