Self-Confidence

I think one of the most important things a parent can do for their child is instill self-confidence and a posititve self-image.  Fear prevents children and adults from taking action in so many different ways.  The best way to overcome fear is to improve your knowledge and personal skills.  Personal Development.

Studies show that most people never read another book after their school years, and the learning stops for many people when they are young adults.  Once this happens, people are often afraid to try new things and learn new skills because it would expose their own inadequacies.  Most people find it much easier to live in a fantasy world where they are great at everything.  Delusion. 

Some of the best advice I’ve been given is to try new things with effort.  The more you learn the more you can learn.  Also, the more you learn the easier it becomes to learn new things as you will start to see relationships between skills and ideas.  Don’t be afraid of mistakes or reality. 

If you watch the Olympics and have seen the ice skaters, for example.  Notice how fluid and smooth they are, and technically sound.  If you ice skate too, you will realize that they are much better than you.  Here’s my question,  “Who fell more?  Them or you?”  Of course they have fallen more.  You must fail numerous times to improve.  That’s life. 

Unfortunately our system of education and parenting is notorious for pointing out our flaws, and demanding near perfection in order to get any praise.  When you grow up thinking you have to be perfect or you’re a failure, it’s no wonder that people stop reading, stop trying and mentally move into thier fantasy world.  Here is the truth.  All you need is to succeed more than you fail.  51% success is all it takes in life.  In school, a 51% test score is an “F”.  In the stock market, for example, if you invest money and are only “right” 51% of the time are you a success or failure?  Success!  Succeed more than you fail, that’s all you need.  Don’t get so caught up in having to be perfect, it’s not reality.  Heck, major league baseball players get paid millions of dollars to hit the ball 30% of the time.

Improve yourself to the level you desire, don’t delude yourself by beleiving things that are not true.  The determining factor on whether or not you will work on yourself or not is your self-image.  If you feel generally good about yourself, you won’t be afraid to take risks, try new things and fail once in a while.  If you have a poor self-image, you won’t want to try anything that will make you feel worse.  That’s why it’s so important to NOT do things that damage your self-image!

Don’t do things like: drinking too much alcohol, drugs, smoke, commit crimes, take advantage of others,…… don’t do anything that you are not proud of.  If you do, it will erode your self-image over time and lower your self-esteem.  This will cause you to do less and less, until eventually you will prefer the fantasy world you create over reality because it’s easier and feels better.  A lot of people live this way, but it’s not a fulfilling or successful life.

Be willing to make mistakes, do the right thing and continue to challenge and push yourself.  Live a full life.  Be BOLD and go for it!  What else is there?  Don’t just exist, LIVE!

If you raise your kids with a good self-image, they will.  The more they succeed, learn and accomplish…. the more they are willing to try things and their self-esteem goes up.  It’s a snowball effect either way.  Make sure yours is going the right direction.

Remember, there is no failure except in no-longer trying.