You are a winner, and there’s no doubt that you’re capable of building your dream life. However, to realize your potential, you need to work on overcoming self doubt. Pastor Jeff Moffet kicks off today’s Breakfast with Champions session with the inspiring story of a boy who was afraid of cold water yet was faced with the challenge of learning to swim. While he let go of the edge of the pool and struggled to reach the other end, he struggled to stay afloat and kept hoping to just breathe and reach the other end alive.
Oftentimes, our dreams suffer the same fate as the boy. You get up each morning, struggling to stay afloat, reach the edge, get out of the pool, and live the dream life, but you keep struggling in vain. Sadly, your dreams to own your dream house, drive your dream car, enjoy your dream vacation, etc. remain just that—dreams.
You are a winner: Overcoming adversity
Oprah Winfrey famously remarked that the biggest adventure one could take was to live the life of their dreams. You may have been told several times that you’re capable of achieving your goals and that you can make your dream life a reality. However, you need to trust the process, take consistent action toward achieving this dream life stroke by stroke, and have faith in your own capabilities.
Unrealized dreams are like recurring nightmares; they can haunt you over and over again. People can often be divided into three groups:
- Anticipators are people who continue to dwell in mediocrity, anticipating that someone else will come along to place them in their dream life.
- Spectators are people who spend their entire lives in the shallow end of the pool called life, dreaming, watching others swim through while sitting in mediocrity.
- Gladiators are people who get up from their dreams, and wade through the mediocrity with conscious effort to achieve their dream life. Gladiators put in the effort instead of idly anticipating help from others. They’re action takers who swim through the pool of mediocrity toward the oceans of opportunity.
Overcoming adversity: Know what’s blocking your path
If you wish to move up in life from being an anticipator or a spectator to being a gladiator, you need to know what’s blocking your path. Here are 5 possible obstacles to success:
1. Burnout
Working hard for a long period of time without a break can lead to burnout, causing you to feel unmotivated, unproductive, or uninspired to carry on for much longer.
Take a break to give yourself the chance to recharge and recover from fatigue. It’s important to note that gladiators give themselves permission to relax and recharge for just a little while. Take a vacation, spend time with your loved ones, or reduce your workload temporarily so you can feel ready to give your best again.
2. Sensing a lack of direction
It’s important to revisit your goals from time to time to check if they still align with your core values and your purpose.
3. The fear of failure
If we’re wary of failure, it’s difficult to feel motivated to take action on our goals and dream lives. Aim to fail forward. Know that you are a winner, and it’s completely okay to feel uncertain and even fail in the pursuit of your goals rather than sit in mediocrity as an anticipator or spectator.
4. Lack of inspiration
This happens to the best of us. Sometimes we just need a little push to inspire us toward the fresh pursuit of our goals. Remember that overcoming adversity is possible if you just pivot and readjust your focus. Spend time with others who inspire you, watch a movie, pause, and reflect.
5. Lack of accountability
If no one holds you accountable, it can be difficult for you to stay on track. Get an accountability partner in the form of a coach, mentor, support group, or friend who supports you each step of the way to achieving your dream life.
Addressing these concerns will help you achieve a gladiator mindset and overcome challenges along your way to success. Know that you are a winner. Accept your responsibility to excel and be a gladiator by deciding to wade through the pool of mediocrity toward the ocean of opportunities.
Know what’s your destination? Where are you going?
Have you ever wondered about your destination in life, be it on the personal front or career-wise, and where you’re headed? Indeed, finding clarity about your destination and direction in life can be a deeply personal and reflective process.
Ramon Ray, business expert and founder of BWCDaily.com, leads this discussion with Christina Howard and Pastor Jeff Moffet about finding your destination and aligning it to achieve your dream life.
Christina advises defining separate criteria for your destination regarding your personal fulfillment, family and loved ones, and business. Once we define these categories, it’s time to put pen to paper and determine what is your destination, or your purpose in life, and how you set out to achieve it.
Pastor Jeff Moffett reveals that when we don’t define our own direction, we lead our entire life following someone else’s, thus wading in the pool of mediocrity and failing to achieve our dream life.
Remember, you are a hero, but you need to find your way toward the ocean of opportunities. Here are some ways to find your destination and define your direction in life:
Reflect on your values:
Consider what truly matters to you, what you believe in, and what principles you want to live by. Reflecting on your values can help you gain clarity on what you want to prioritize in your life and what kind of person you want to become.
Set goals:
Setting specific and achievable goals can provide you with a sense of direction and purpose. Consider what you want to achieve in different areas of your life, such as your career, relationships, health, and personal growth. Setting goals can help you create a roadmap towards your desired destination.
Explore your passions and interests:
Take the time to explore your passions and interests. What activities make you feel alive and fulfilled? What topics or hobbies do you enjoy learning about and spending time on? Exploring your passions and interests can help you uncover what truly motivates and inspires you and guides you towards a meaningful direction in life.
Assess your strengths and weaknesses:
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses can help you make informed decisions about your direction in life. Reflect on your skills, talents, and areas where you excel, as well as areas where you may need to improve. Knowing your significance can help you align your destination and direction with your capabilities and potential.
Seek guidance and support:
Talk to trusted friends, family members, mentors, or even a professional counselor or coach. Sometimes, gaining an external perspective can provide insights and clarity about your destination and direction in life.
Embrace self-reflection:
Spend time alone in quiet reflection. Self-reflection can help you gain insights about yourself, your desires, and your purpose, leading you towards a clearer destination toward achieving your dream life.
Be flexible:
Remember that your destination and direction in life may evolve and change over time, and that’s okay. Lean into uncertainty by reaffirming that you are a winner. Life is a journey with twists and turns, and it’s important to be open to change and adapt as you gain new insights and experiences. Embrace flexibility in your approach and be willing to re-evaluate and adjust your path as needed.
Glenn Lundy, founder of Breakfast with Champions, suggests that it’s important to help out others struggling to find their destination as well. You can’t keep your success if you don’t share your process with others.
Indeed, gaining clarity about your destination and direction in life is a personal and ongoing process. It may take time, reflection, and self-discovery, but with persistence and self-awareness, you can find a clearer sense of purpose and direction that aligns with your values, passions, and strengths.
Building your dream life: Finding clarity on your purpose
Ramon also rounded off the segment by discussing some key points for determining your destination in life and business and finding clarity on your purpose.
Mind how you make others feel as you chase your dream life.
Ramon stresses the importance of being considerate, empathic, and kind to others as you navigate your life. Being a great leader requires you to build trust and loyalty among your team and audience, so remember to be humble and nice. You are a winner only if you make people around you feel welcomed and supported. Being highly sensitive can be a superpower: sensitive people have a higher perception of senses such as taste, smell, and touch. They can also be more emotionally perceptive, which makes them natural leaders. You are a winner if you’re a highly sensitive person, as long as you can channel this superpower in a responsible manner.
Develop a broader perspective.
Remember that people view various experiences and events in life through their own lens. It helps to develop a varied perspective and be mindful of others’ choices, beliefs, life experiences, and values.
Know how to preserve your brand identity, even as you grow.
Ramon quotes Pinky Cole, the founder of Slutty Vegan, a rapidly expanding and loved food venture, on how to expand your brand and life without losing its identity. Cole stresses that it’s not about your product or your service, but your core values and community. Of course, the product matters, but what matters more is how you tell your story and determine your brand voice while being authentic and uniquely YOU.
How to check your blindspot
In an attempt to help us find where our blindspots lie and how we can learn to recognize and resolve them, Amilya Antonetti interviews Jason Sisneros, an experienced leader, strategist, and entrepreneur.
Indeed, you are born a winner, but you can’t be what you can’t see. Sometimes you can develop blind spots that prevent you from seeing the bigger picture and achieving your dream life. Identifying and resolving blind spots, which are areas of ignorance or lack of self-awareness that can hinder personal growth and development, can be challenging but is important for personal growth. Here are some steps to help you identify and resolve blind spots:
Practice self-reflection:
Take the time to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Be honest with yourself and examine your actions and reactions in different situations. Consider seeking feedback from trusted friends, family, or colleagues to gain different perspectives.
Challenge your assumptions:
We all have assumptions and biases that shape our perception of the world. Be willing to question your assumptions and beliefs and consider alternative viewpoints. This can help you identify any biases or blind spots you may have.
Educate yourself:
Make an effort to continuously learn and expand your knowledge. Read books, articles, and research on various topics, including those that may challenge your existing beliefs. Engage in conversations with people from diverse backgrounds to broaden your perspective.
Practice mindfulness:
By practicing mindfulness, you can develop greater self-awareness and notice any blind spots that may arise.
Take responsibility:
Acknowledge and take responsibility for your actions, including any mistakes or shortcomings. Avoid blaming others or external circumstances for your challenges. Instead, focus on what you can do to pivot and learn from your experiences.
Remember that identifying and resolving blind spots is a continuous process that requires self-awareness, humility, and a willingness to learn and grow. Be patient with yourself, and celebrate your progress along the way.
Scaling your business: How to overcome self-doubt to succeed in business and life
Serial entrepreneur Alexa D’Agastino interviewed Deb Shannon about the need to overcome self-doubt to succeed in business and build a dream life. Lack of confidence and self-assuredness is a handicap in all aspects of your life. However, it can be a major obstacle to success, especially in business. If you wish to succeed in business, you need to portray that you are a winner and believe in the same with all your heart.
Here are five strategies suggested for overcoming self-doubt and building your dream life:
Acknowledge and challenge your self-doubt:
The first step in overcoming self-doubt is to acknowledge it. Be honest with yourself about the doubts and fears that are holding you back. Once you identify them, challenge them by questioning their validity. Ask yourself if they are based on facts or simply negative assumptions.
Focus on your strengths:
We all have blind spots from time to time, but it’s important to acknowledge your strong points and rely on these qualities to see you through adversity. Try to build momentum by taking one step after another and getting started on taking action toward building your dream life.
Checking in with your ego:
You are a winner, but it’s important to admit to yourself and others that you don’t know it all. Learn to team with the right people, network with peers and experts, and upgrade your knowledge base on a constant basis. Indeed, great leaders are exceptional delegators. Make it a habit to ask yourself what you lack and try to hire the right people to get this requirement fulfilled.
Embrace failure as a learning opportunity:
Failure is a natural part of the business journey, and everyone experiences setbacks at some point. Instead of letting failure fuel your self-doubt, view it as a learning opportunity. Analyze what went wrong, extract valuable lessons, and use them to improve your strategies moving forward.
Develop a growth mindset:
Cultivate a mindset that sees challenges and obstacles as opportunities for growth. Embrace a willingness to learn, adapt, and improve. See failure as a temporary setback, not a reflection of your worth or abilities.
Takeaway: Overcoming self doubt to build a dream life
Remember, overcoming self doubt is a journey, and it takes time and effort. Believe that you are a winner. Be patient with yourself and stay committed to your personal and professional growth. Cultivating the right mindset, strategies, and support, is the key to overcoming adversity and successfully building your dream life.
