I’ll bet the greatest obstacle you have to overcome is…yourself.

The hardest person you will ever lead is you and you alone. American writer Carl Sandberg once said, “There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud” I think we can all relate to that statement. There are days when I am in the flow and there are days when I can barely go. It’s easy to believe in ourselves when we’re in the flow, but the true test is when there’s obstacles in the road. It’s in these moments that we have to stay strong and keep moving on. Sir Edmund Hillary said, “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”

The mind is a battlefield where a war takes place everyday. If we give up and surrender the fight we will become victim to our worst thoughts. We must remain steadfast in our thinking and be on guard at all times. You will never overcome in life, if you can’t overcome your self limiting beliefs. They will trap you in a prison of self-sabotaging distress. What goes on in your head is what becomes a reality through your eyes. What you think about you tend to become.

Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

How we think will determine how we live. It has been said that perception is greater than reality. What we perceive in our mind is what we project around us. Our thinking is the lens in which we view the world. We don’t see the world as it is, we see the world as we are. That is why beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If we are constantly thinking that people do not like us, then every action they make we will see through that lens. If we feel jealous of another, every thing they get we will be upset about. However, if we have thoughts of peace towards others, no matter what they do we live in grace with them. One of my favorite authors James Allen wrote, “To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all-such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor.”

Because we see the world as we are, it is of utmost importance that we control our thoughts. If our thinking gets out of control, our lives get out of control. If we think negative, depressing thoughts, we will become a negative, depressing person. If we think joyful, fruitful thoughts, we will become a joyful, fruitful person. Remember the statement, you are what you eat? Well, the truth applies to our thinking, you are what you think. If you sabotage yourself with negative thoughts you will be full of toxic ideas about yourself. However, when you fill yourself with positive thoughts you will begin to be charged with energy to accomplish what is ahead of you.

Do you truly believe in yourself?

I want you to think about that question. Do you really believe in yourself? Do you believe that you are able to do what you want to do and become who you want to become? I have found that most people believe God can do great things, they just don’t believe God can use them to do great things. In order to outperform your limiting beliefs, you have to gain confidence in yourself. If you don’t value yourself, you will never see value in what you do.

Phillippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Change your thinking and you will change your future. Challenge yourself to think the right thoughts that will be fruitful. Your thoughts will take you somewhere, make sure it is where you need to go. Genuinely believe in yourself and I guarantee you’ll experience greater possibilities. Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t you’re right.”

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.