The capacity for growth, along with the ability to excel lies within each of us. Our desire plays a major role in extending our performance beyond normal levels of exertion. Somehow we were convinced that external forces have the ultimate control over our results. Therefore, we erroneously believe others control our fate and we have to wait for them to grant us permission to achieve our personal greatness.

These rumors and misconceptions must be dispelled. The power is ours. We can think differently and summon strength from internal reservoirs of potential.  We can free ourselves to accomplish the dreams we desire. Success is not a secret or a great mystery. We have been exposed to examples of people who succeeded against tremendous odds. Their stories are known to us. I asked students from sixth grade through high school to tell me what it takes to be successful.  They easily listed characteristics, actions and behaviors. They seldom listed outside variables. The qualities were usually within the purview of the individual.

We have shielded ourselves from our own power source. By standing in front of our light, we are blinded by our possibilities. But it is time to realize we have access to energy and we must not be tentative. The supply of energy must be released. We have to grant ourselves permission to attain it. We essentially have to say it is OK; it is acceptable and desirable to pursue and express achievement.

When we say yes to our dreams, we discard the sandbags that hold us down.  Original hot air balloons rose to reach higher altitudes when pilots threw the appropriate number of sandbags overboard. The sandbags in our lives are the people who want to hold us back and personal barriers that prevent us from being successful.

Don’t blame circumstances

Environment is the convenient scapegoat for holding people back.  One managerial survival of such an environment gave a very memorable quote when she interviewed with other companies. She said, “When other companies were impressed with my experiences, I realized I was not as stupid as I was led to believe.” This gave her valuable insight into the temporary damaging influence of her environment. However, she gave herself permission to seek the outcome she wanted.

Additionally, there are always people who maintain that their circumstances drove them to be their best. Environment suppresses and environment is accountable for successes. How the person responds to their circumstances is the key. We are intrigued by the biographies of successful people. They were normal folk who had an abnormal drive to succeed, despite their circumstances. They give themselves permission to strive for a better life.

Develop confidence

An oppressive and depressive environment can chip away at your self-esteem and affect your confidence. We have a number of neuroses.  Anchored by insecurities there thrives the tendency to doubt our abilities. There may be old tapes running in our brain that sabotage our initiatives.  We can reverse the impact of negative influences.  We can learn to transfer authority to express our talents to our conscious mind.  By drawing on inner power, we gain strength and confidence.

When we lack confidence, we do not feel we have the right to utter the magical words of, “I give myself permission to release my inner power. I grant myself permission to be and to do my best. I give myself permission to be truly everything God has created me to be.” When we release the power we will discover that it was in us all the time, but we didn’t think we had the right to exert our authority.

People can tell you how great you are, but if you do not believe it, the results will be compromised.

Don’t delegate authority

We are known to abdicate power to someone else. We have placed the key to our success into the hands of another person. It may be a friend, employer or a mate. Sometimes others don’t want us to succeed and offer advice to keep us in our place. We therefore allow their wishes to hold us back. Managers and peers have secretly conspired to hold us at a lower status. If we do not take responsibility for our lives and lack the courage to be our true selves, we will underperform versus our potential.

We must hoist the anchor that has held us in place and prepare to sail toward our objectives. It is acceptable to be great. It is OK to want more, to be more, and to do more. We are positively entitled to receive wealth, as we define it, in order to improve self and contribute to mankind. But we have been conditioned to restrict the full expression of our abilities. We are told to stay with the pack and not to go too far ahead of the crowd. But in reality the crowd will never reach their peak if someone is not constantly pushing their performance into a higher range.

You were blessed at birth with permission to excel, but barriers were erected to hold you back. The issue may have been clouded by misconceptions and misinformation. However, it is incumbent upon you to align your obligations with your expectations and grant yourself the permission to excel.

Copyright © 2010 Orlando Ceaser