Rewiring the brain

Are some of us born to be successful and destined for greatness, while others are pre-destined to toil away in obscurity, making others wealthy? Or are we free to be as successful as we wish to be? And if it's the latter, as I believe, what are the biggest obstacles we have to overcome on our road to success?

When faced with something new that I do not fully understand, I immediately throw up obstacles to avoid making a decision, or to block the decision altogether. Why, I have been asking myself lately? Why do I do this? What exactly is is that I'm afraid of?

Because if you make a decision then you could be wrong. That's the crux of the issue, isn't it? It takes tremendous self-confidence to make a decision on something that you do not entirely understand, and how many of us fully understand the things on which we must decide? How many times have I avoided trying some new food with which I am unfamiliar, because there is a chance I might not like it? Often, that's how many. Perhaps the majority of times that I eat in a restaurant. Why? What is it that I fear? That I might find something new?

As I wonder why it took me so long to see the light with our new business, these thoughts have been on my mind lately. Is it failure that I fear, then? If I fail, then I am in the vast majority. So what is there to worry about?

I think the answer is that I am not worried about failure so much as it is that I am worried about how that failure would affect my ego, my view of my self, my self-worth. And yet throughout my life I have known very little failure, but in the end, I think that very fact is what sometimes holds me back. I do not want to risk the string of success with new ventures that might, or might not, succeed. I want to keep my record intact. Which I must say is stupid; nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

It doesn't matter how wonderful the company we have partnered with might be, or what a great investment or how ridiculously low the capital risk...those are all true factors, but what I really have to overcome is me. Do I want to be a success again or not? Do I believe in myself or don't I?

I am consciously choosing to be successful. It's just that complex, and just that simple. It won't be easy, as rewiring my brain will likely take a while. But at least I have finally started.