I didn't apply to college mostly because I didn't like the idea of the acceptance of my admissions being outside of my control.
As a real estate agent I was limited in my success because I could not bare the disappointment of losing out when competing for a listing.
I also had a difficult time working leads because I became discouraged if my close ratio was not 100%.
I am not afraid of failure. I am afraid of not being perfect.
In some ways this fear has propelled me to succeed in areas where I might otherwise have failed. But in most cases it has held me back. I have a suspicion that many others are affected by the fear of not being perfect, and I hope that this post helps them.
I am working on being comfortable with my true self; working on accepting myself where I am at right now. Being content with who God made me to be.
Ironically I have turned to Donald Trump to help me on this journey. ;) I have bookmarked a page in Trump's book, "Think big and kick ass" that has had a surprisingly profound impact on me:
"A truly positive mental attitude is when you are good at what you do and you are prepared for every possibility, both positive and negative. You can boost your positive mental attitude by being thoroughly prepared. You cannot expect to be successful 100 percent of the time no matter whether you are in business, finance, real estate, management, medicine, or science. If you are not prepared for a negative result, a few minor setbacks, the loss of a promotion, or a deal falling through, such an experience will cause you an unnecessary amount of confusion and doubt. Both a positive mental attitude and a good work ethic are important in creating your own luck, but you cannot rely solely on them.
The real-life truth is that deals do not always close, you do not always land the new account, you do not always win the lawsuit, you do not always get the promotion, your patients do not always recover, and the people you deal with are not always honest. There always circumstances beyond your control. The only way to guard against having your confidence shattered is to come to grips with the stark reality that negative things can and do happen. Count on it. Be prepared for it. Realize that it is life, and that it has nothing to do with you or your abilities. Do not let it shake your self-confidence one iota!"
I guess I just needed someone to tell me that it is alright to fail.
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