The Thought Of Succeeding

There have been many times in life when we think about giving up. Sometimes it’s on school, sometimes on work, other times it’s on a relationship or trying to get a promotion. The thing is, most of the time it is just a thought and nothing else. However, if you have had that thought and then taken action on it, you will know how hollow it leaves you feeling.

Don’t get ‘Giving up’ mixed up with ‘Failing’ though, it is not one and the same. Failing is part of life and to fail often and sometimes in a grand way usually means that we are trying to achieve something big and giving your all and failing at something big and life changing big should be a badge of honour. All of the other failures in life are simply a way of regrouping and trying something different.

The thing is, a lot of the time failing, quitting and giving up simply start with a thought and nothing more. Likewise succeeding is the result of the same thing, it all starts with just a thought. We do not wake up one morning and find ourselves at the top of Everest and wonder how we got there. We do not suddenly find that we have a number one smash hit and wonder how that happened and we don't suddenly win an Olympic gold medal and say to the guy who is receiving the silver medal, “What is this celebration for and why are we here” All of these things and the many other events in our life all started as a thought and remained that way until action was taken to make that thought a reality.

We hear every day of people who against ridiculous odds achieve amazing things. Things such as; Sir Ranulph Fiennes, climbing Mount Everest at 65 after his third attempt. The first time he was stopped because  of a heart attack and the second time due to exhaustion. He is now the oldest British climber to make the ascent and also the first pensioner. Walt Disney went bankrupt after a failed deal in 1922, today Disney is one of the most successful and respected brands in the world. Einstein did not speak until he was four years old, Richard Branson did not attend University and has Dyslexia, Jim Carrie was homeless, Stephen Kings first novel was rejected 30 times and the richest person in the world, Bill Gates saw his fist business fail. The list goes on and on and has been the subject of many books but the point is, it was only a thought in the heads of these and many other people and it was only a thought that gave them the idea to be successful.

Three years ago I competed in the London Triathlon and this year will be my third one. All my life I have started the conversation about my running ability with the statement “I am not very good” going through my thoughts. This statement lead to, and therefore I will fail. Just a thought, a simple thought. This year I have started training early as part of my celebration of my 60th birthday in August, the difference is though, this year I have started with the thought that “I will succeed.” My running is so much easier, it was like lifting a weight from my shoulders and I feel tangibly better about myself. I have also found that because I own the success of my running I can bank it in my ‘Self Esteem’ bank account and the equity is measurable. It has taken on a physicality and it is changing my life.

This blog was originally titled ‘The Thought Of Failure’ but as I was running on Monday I changed that to ‘The Thought Of Succeeding’ and with it my entire attitude.

Think Big! Dare To Win!