Anticipating Success vs Anticipating Failure

By anticipating success or failure before even beginning a project we are affecting the outcome. Many of us have already decided whether we are capable of something or not before we even begin. That belief manifests in reality when we come up against an obstacle. If I believed I could be successful I would give a lot more time and commitment to that obstacle. Eventually I would be likely to overcome the obstacle. If I believed I would fail I might attempt the obstacle a couple of times before giving up. My belief that I would fail would be vindicated.

As Henry Ford once said – “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right”.

You give yourself the best chance of success when you simply change your mindset to believe you can.

Start with positive expectations and wait to be proved wrong. The truth is none of us know what we’re truly capable of until we try. That ‘try’ needs to be a wholehearted effort where you don’t sabotage yourself though.

It might help if you remove yourself as the main beneficiary of your success. What if what you’re capable of can help someone, or hundreds of people, or thousands of people? What if you owe it to everyone else to give yourself the best chance. Surely we aren’t here purely to satisfy ourselves? We all need to give something back. What if your sabotaging is affecting everyone else too? What if you’re passing on bad habits to your kids? When it stops being about you it can be much easier to commit to success and make it happen, because it becomes what’s best for everyone.