confidence.

Success is an interesting thing.

Many people say they want to be successful, I would go out on a limb and say that all people want to be successful, at something. I for example want to be successful at many things, like being a great friend or a good student. Someday I would love to be a successful Dad and husband. The key to all of this coming true is confidence.

Think about it. It is impossible to be successful for any substantial amount of time if you are not confident.

I often talk to people who are darn good at what they do however the often approach talking about themselves and their work as sub-par. This I believe comes from a few places. First is that we are all our own worst critics, obviously. Every blog post I put up or song I write I know is not my best work, or should i say the best work I will put out. Many people try so hard to reach the ideal of the best they will ever be right now. The fact of the matter is that you will not do your best, right now. You have room to grow, room to stretch your talents and abilities to get them to a better place in the future.

Secondly, it is because of what I call “Misguided humility”. You have people that think it is humble to call the things they put out trash and garbage and “not really all that great” as they avoid eye contact with their hands in their pockets and playing with the dirt with their foot. Not is not being humble. You can be confident and humble, it is an interesting pair, but the two together are something no one can stop. If you wrote something and you are proud of it, show it to people. When you finish a song, play it for people. Don’t look them in the eye and say “this is the best thing you will ever hear, better than anything you can come up with.” But a little confidence goes a long way.

Henry Ford said it best. “Whether you think you can’t or you think you can; you’re right.” Many people are successful at failing, and those are the people most confident in the fact they will fail.

Confidence is not the only thing you need to succeed, but apart from it, real success rarely happens.