What is the one thing that truly successful people have in common that others do not? It’s not that they were born with special abilities or talents that set them apart from others. The essential difference is that they know and utilize the power of their thoughts. The good news is that you can learn to do the same.
In order to know how to succeed in life, you must understand the great power you wield with your thoughts. Your potential for success is determined by your thoughts about yourself and your goals. When a person has negative thoughts such as the ones listed below, their energy is dissipated and their efforts to succeed are undermined by their thinking.
I fail at everything I try. No one believes that I can succeed, and they’re probably right. If I really try and then I fail, I won’t be able to recover.
Can you see how thoughts like these might lead to procrastination or thoughts of giving up? Can you see how they would seriously work against your efforts to succeed?
How to Succeed in Life: The Key Is To Change Your Thoughts
The first thing to do is to learn to recognize when you are having negative thoughts
such as these. Most people, even those who feel generally confident, will have some latent negative beliefs that emerge when they reach for a new goal. We are so used to our habits of thinking, we are not even aware of them most of the time. That’s why it is important to develop a new habit of paying attention to your thoughts, particularly when you feel negative emotion.
This process will help you discover the negative beliefs that are undermining your success and then change them:
1. Write down your goal and say it out loud.
2. Now, listen for the negative feelings and thoughts that come up in response.
3. Write these negative thoughts down on paper. These are the key beliefs that are holding you back from success.
4. Take the time to look at these negative beliefs and decide whether they are really true for you. Explore other ways to look at yourself and your life that feel more positive and empowering and write down these new beliefs.
To clarify what I mean, let me give you an example. Let’s say you find that you have this negative thought: I never succeed at anything. You would now want to explore examples of how this is not true. Remind yourself of times when you did succeed in small or large ways. Next, come up with a new belief that feels good to you. Here’s an example:
There are other times that I have succeeded at goals I set out to achieve. All I need to do is stay focused on my goal and not give up. If I do that, I am sure to eventually succeed.
It does take some focused effort to get into the habit of recognizing your negative thoughts and changing them to more empowering, positive beliefs. However, you will be richly rewarded for your efforts. And if you do not, those underlying negative thoughts will continue to keep you from the success you desire.
Once you get into the habit of recognizing and changing your negative habits of thinking, you will find yourself becoming more confident and sure of yourself and your ability to succeed. You will be able to fully embrace the ideas and opportunities that will move you towards your goal. I hope you can see by now that developing positive habits of thinking really is the key to your success.
A Faster and Easier Way to Develop Successful Thoughts
Although challenging these negative thoughts and replacing them with more positive, empowering ones can be very powerful, it does take some effort. I have found that there is an even easier way to release these negative beliefs and replace them with positive, empowering beliefs. It is called Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT. It is a bit unconventional, but it works more rapidly and permanently than anything else I’ve ever seen.
One of the advantages of EFT is that you can use it to let go of negative beliefs even if you don’t know what they are. You simply focus on the negative emotion you are experiencing and release that. As you do, your negative beliefs are cleared as well. It is quick, thorough, and simple to do. And it is very effective.
As you may already know, I have developed a self-help program which uses EFT to release the negative beliefs that are interfering with your success. It then replaces the negative beliefs with positive, empowering beliefs will support you in your success.
You can try out a free EFT recording I have created that will help you change your negative thoughts on the homepage of my website: CreatingConfidenceandSuccess.com. You can also sign up for my free Quick Start Guide to EFT for Confidence there and learn more about my program that shows you everything you need to know about how to succeed in life from the inside out.
Posted in 
Tags:
I have a big issue…..I am 23, I have 4 children, have no education but I want to succeed in life! I recently started to hang out with professional people. Educated friends, people that own businesses etc. The father of my children is a low life, does not work..has no education. As he was growing up, he saw nothing but brothers in and out of prison, drugs, alcohol. I want to succeed in life, I want the world to know that I have 4 kids, I work two jobs, and about to start school. To let them all know that anybody can do it. My big problem is the father of my children, I cannot stand hanging out with his friends and the things they do. He does not work therefore, I have to have two jobs to make it. How do I get away from this person. My children are very little and I need his help watching the kids for my second part-time job. During the week they go to a daycare and have no worries thank god. I love my children and I want the best for them, I want to succed, I want to set a good example. My body can only take so much…I work all day everyday, never spend time with my kids and I do not want to miss that part of their lives. I need some suggestions. Please
Hi Paloma,
Thanks for sharing your questions and thoughts about what’s going on in your life right now. The first thing I noticed from your comment was that you are really passionate about changing your life. You want a better life for yourself and your children and it sounds like you are willing to do what it takes to make that happen. And let me tell you, that is a HUGE strength that will carry you through to success. Because of that deep inner desire to succeed, you are farther than most people on the path and you have the potential to succeed more quickly.
It sounds like you have several issues to sort out:
1. Dealing with your children’s father: it sounds like you are ready to be done with this relationship but you’re staying primarily because you need someone to watch your children when you’re at your second job.
2. Also, you want to be able to spend time with your children but you have the challenge of working two jobs and you are also planning to start school soon. All of these show, by the way, your willingness to take responsibility for your life and do what you need to to make it better. That’s something you should feel really good about.
3. You want to know where to go from here to succeed in life.
So first, it sounds like you need to find some other arrangements for your kids during your second job. Once you decide that this is what you need, you can work out a plan to do this. Or, depending on how reliable and safe you feel he is, your kids could continue staying with their father while you work. They are his kids after all, and he can continue watching them for you when you’re at work, even if you’re not in a relationship with him anymore. It sounds like he and his friends are a drain on your energy and a negative influence in your life. It will take some courage and strength to end this relationship, but from what you’ve said, I think you have that strength to do it already within you. It’s wonderful that you’re already creating new, more positive relationships with successful people. That will help in many ways as you go forward.
Here’s the most important advice I can give you: Make a decision about what you want and then take action to make it happen. Believe in yourself. You will succeed if you keep taking steps forward to get there.
You can use EFT to help you with the negative beliefs and fears that are likely to come up along the way as you take action to create a better life for you and your kids. Here’s a link to my video on how to do it: How to Do EFT Don’t let the negative beliefs hold you back. Use EFT to let them go and keep taking action to move forward.
Remember, you’re still young and you have plenty of time to get where you want to be. Just take some time to think about what you want and what you’d really love to do and then make a plan to begin to get you there. What would you like to be doing ten years from now? Are there some careers/jobs that really appeal to you? Are there careers you could pursue that would allow you to have the time with your children that you want? Is there potential to advance in the jobs you currently have? Look at the jobs that inspire you, talk to people who are doing that work, ask for their advice about how to get there. Most successful people are more than willing to talk to you and give you suggestions for success. And then follow their advice. Even tiny steps taken every day will get you closer to your dream. And your kids will see you doing this and your progress will be a wonderful example for them to follow.
I admire your courage and determination to succeed. I really recommend that you use EFT every day and my new technique which I call Positive Energy Psychology, or PEP to get you there. Here’s a link to learn more about that: Positive Energy Psychology Just take time to tap on your fears and any negative thoughts and beliefs as they come up and you’ll be able to stay on track and go through this process of growth and change with much more grace and peace. Also, my self-help program will really help you use EFT to let go of any issues about confidence, anxiety about taking action, and help you get clear about your dreams and how to achieve them. There’s a free EFT recording for confidence and success about a third of the way down on that page, too.
I hope this has been helpful to you and I wish you all the best.
Blessings,
Laura