Throughout our lives, we all, at one time or another, experience discontent and disappointment. When these feelings go unchecked, our morale slips and our self-confidence takes a nose dive.

It is in times of despair that you need to “Give yourself a break!” Take a step back, identify your flaws, uncover the underlying issues, search for the reasons behind them, and then determine which ones are changeable. Ask yourself this question “Do I want to remain the way I am or do I want to grow and flourish”.

After pondering on the subject of ‘believing to achieving’ I came to the conclusion that things which prevent us from achieving what we want out of life is when we hang on to the past and doubt the future, always expecting the worst possible outcome. You may have come across people who say things like:

· “It didn't work before--why should it work now?”

· “I know I will fail.”

· “Why take a chance--it won't work anyway.”

· “I made a wrong choice.”

· “I wish this wouldn’t have happened.”

People have a difficult time letting go of the past because they are held back by unfinished business. They may regret choices they made or feel guilty about past actions. As long as guilt and regret are not resolved, it is difficult to move forward. Playing safe and hiding from realities that surround you will lead you no where. So stop blaming others, and even your circumstances. Carry your lessons from the past and then close the door on it. Don't dwell on what’s happened indefinitely. Don’t let the past steal your dreams. To move on and live your dreams, clear out the clutter in your mind so that your dreams have room to live and grow. Set goals: Plan, execute and implement them.

Remember! We came to this world with a purpose. Find out what that is. Determine your mission in life and focus on making it happen. There will be challenges along the way. Face them! It is up to you!

You are going to make mistakes. Learn from them rather than get 'run over' by them. It is vital to renew yourself. Learn, unlearn & relearn regularly. You need to be alert of your surroundings, more self-aware, and smart to thrive in today's competitive world. Alvin Toffler, a well known futurologist once said, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

Each one of us is responsible for our own success, career advancement, personal growth and achievement. Take charge of your future. Transform your life! Discover your inner strengths and navigate your way to new horizons by familiarizing yourself with the opportunities and threats in your environment. It’s up to you. It is your future, after all.

So what stops us? It comes down to fear - fear of failure; fear of losing face; fear of being laughed at; fear of the unknown; fear of being hurt. F.E.A.R. is an acronym which stands for False Emotions Appear Real. One of the best ways to counter fear is to DO what you fear. Be careful though. Always fear evil!

A slogan used by a leading multinational company in Pakistan continues to inspire me to this day. It is, “Dare to try, dare to fail, dare to succeed, dare to be different.” This is best exemplified by Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time, who once said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games; I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed, over and over and over again in my life. And this is why I succeed.”

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