The Importance of Being Believed In

I am increasingly convinced of this:

the only absolute factor for success is having others believe in your ability to accomplish your dreams.

The truth is, entrepreneurship is hard. Following your dreams is really difficult. All the odds seem to be stacked against us and the biggest obstacle of all is ourselves. The negative self talk that bounces around in our heads minute by minute is one of the biggest deterrents for good ideas being executed in the world.

We live in a culture that says, “Try harder”. “Pick yourself up by your bootstraps and make it happen.” “Figure it out.” But you will eventually hit a wall, and the perception of your own superhero abilities will crumble. Mine have, consistently.

The only thing that has allowed me to continue marching forward are the loving voices of friends, coworkers, and family that believe in me more than I can believe in myself. And it’s a commonality shared across humanity. I’ve seen this internationally through my work in poverty alleviation as well. Women in developing countries are a POWERFUL force when they realize the potential they possess and are surrounded with a supportive community rooting them on.

This is the one success factor. We start out by believing in ourselves, but we will fall short and the only way we’ll be able to believe this core truth again is if there are others there to remind us.

Takeaway: Don’t be an island. Be an encouragement to others and be a recipient of that same encouragement as it comes back to you.