Just Believe!
The Secret is… there is no secret!
Recently, I was listening to a marketing seminar by Russell Brunson; he is a guru in online marketing.
He shared how he names many of his products with the word “secret” because people love to uncover mysteries and learn the secrets of this and that.
We want the secret formula, the secret sauce that will make success happen instantly. I guess it is human nature to be lazy, so we look for the fastest and easiest way.
And then, I came across this book, written by Rhonda Byrne, based on the law of attraction called “The Secret,” which has sold more than 30 million copies and has been translated into 50 languages. A movie was also made about the book.
Again, I thought, it seems like people are attracted to finding the “secret” to happiness and success.
Later, I heard this guy talking about the lessons in the cartoon movie, Kung Fu Panda, part one. It got me thinking, and in the evening after I finished my work, I took my wife out for dinner.
On the way back, I said, “Listen, I read an article about this movie, and I would like to watch it again.” The last time we watched it was when our kids were small. You know, my wife is not very fond of cartoons, but she agreed; she said, “Okay, let’s watch it.”
Kung Fu Panda is a very simple bear with no apparent talents or gifts. He was a typical teenager, adolescent, or young adult.
His journey was not an easy one; he had to fight against his low self-esteem and had a hard time believing in himself. His father had already mapped out his life and future to take over the family noodle shop.
Panda loved Kung Fu even though his peers mocked him for his apparent lack of ability to become the “Dragon Warrior” that they were waiting for to defeat the bad and evil tiger that had escaped from prison and was coming to destroy and take over their little kingdom.
Panda was rejected, ridiculed, and made fun of. He was very ordinary. But one of the first lessons in the movie is: “No one is ordinary. It is just a matter of exercising and developing your talents.”
As he battles with regretting the past and fearing the future, another great lesson in the movie is summed up in this beautiful quote: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” So, he learns to live in the present, at the moment.
The third lesson that spoke to my heart is about belief. The power of faith and the ability to understand that the energy we seek lies inside of us.
When they finally reached the scroll that was supposed to reveal the “Secret” to super-human powers, they were shocked to find that the scroll was empty; nothing was written on it.
The secret was that there was no secret!
The real power lies in your inner strength. That unconquerable spirit that is already inside of you! And another beautiful quote from the movie says: “To make something special, you just have to believe it’s special.”
As you get started on your journey, you must believe that you are unique!
This is what the few that succeed in sports, in business, in life believe. They visualize their success before it happens. They see themselves winning the race, getting the medal, achieving their goals. This attitude is what makes an ordinary person extraordinary.
Do you feel unworthy? Are you trapped in the belief that you are ordinary and incapable of extraordinary things? Are you so concerned about what others think of you that you don’t dare to try?
Does criticism stop you from trying new and better things in your life? Do you doubt your ability to learn, progress, and accomplish more in your life? Are you listening only to that inner voice of doubt and fear?
You need to understand and believe that no matter how difficult or impossible your dreams may seem, you can see your dreams become a reality in your life if you have faith — if you believe in your abilities and discover your unique combination of talents and skills.
One of my favorite stories is called The Two Wolves:
An old Indian chief from the Cherokee tribe talks to his grandson: “There is a battle between two wolves inside of us.
One is evil; it has anger, false pride, envy, jealousy, insecurity, resentment, arrogance, self-pity, and other negative traits.
The other one is good; it has compassion, love, faith, empathy, kindness, generosity, truth, joy, peace, and hope.”
The child asked, “Which one wins?” The chief answered, “The one that you feed the most.”
Please do not put your life in the hands of circumstances. You are not the victim of your circumstances; you are the master of them.
Blaming your circumstances, blaming people is just an excuse. The power is inside of you and is not a secret; you have to tap into the power that you already have inside of you.
Your success lives on the other side of your fears. You’ve got to face your fears! As you do, you will see that many are not real, but are mostly created by your own self-limiting beliefs and restrictions, and you can overcome them.
Persistence and self-discipline are the keys. The most intelligent and talented people can be beaten by an ordinary person that has perseverance, determination, and a firm belief in his potential
Stop comparing yourself to others and use your unique abilities and superpowers to succeed. The truth is that sooner or later, you will be faced with the choice of what kind of life you want to live.
I have a question for you: What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Probably your mind is running wild right now, thinking about what you would do if you knew your success was guaranteed.
Always remember that there are no limitations, except the ones you place upon yourself. Your belief in what is possible and the quality of your thoughts will determine your life.
One thing you have to acknowledge, whether you like it or not, is that most probably you are living far below your potential. Just wanting to change is not enough to fight years of ingrained behavior.
If your environment doesn’t change, you will never change. You cannot live in a hostile environment, surrounded by negative people, and expect a positive change. We all get what we tolerate.
Success is not magic. It is a consistent pattern of behavior.
If you want a different result, you must do things differently from what you have always done. You cannot solve your problems with the same pattern of thinking that created them in the first place.
So, are you ready to start? You can have everything you want if you are willing to pay the price.
Vitin Landivar/www.habitsofsuccess.org
