How Great is the Strength of Your Belief?

Be careful what you believe because that is what you will experience. Your belief system is a mechanism which is uniquely yours. It is powered by your desire and controlled by your thoughts and actions. In other words, your success is measured by the strength of your belief.
 
What is it that you desire?
 
Often people do not have a clue what it is they want; they just know what they do not want.
 
Now is a good time to evaluate your goals and determine the end result you want to achieve. Put your goals in writing and place them where you can see them throughout the day. Read them frequently to keep them fresh on your mind. As you do so, consider the following characteristics with respect to your goals.
 
1.  Be inquisitive. Research and learn as much as you can on how you can achieve your goal. Use all possible resources such as books, audiobooks, podcasts, courses and people. Yes, people. Talk to as many people as possible who are already successful in what you want to achieve. Ask, ask and ask some more about what they did to reach success. Do not limit your contacts to only the people you already know. Introduce yourself by phone, mail, email, or Zoom. Explain your purpose for contacting them and ask for a tip. The worst thing that can happen is that they ignore you. The best thing that can happen is that they become your mentor and offer support and encouragement. Chances are you will receive at least one great tip from many of the people you contact. This method is the least expensive and most rewarding.

2.  Be unique. Next, take the ideas you learn, embellish them and come up with your own creative process. Think of how you can approach your goal in a way that no one else has. Dare to be different. Don't be afraid to take risks. Use your imagination. What do you have to lose? Write out a list showing the worst things that could happen and then list all of the best possible outcomes. Always maintain your concentration on your desired result. 

3.  Be willing to fail and keep on trying until you succeed. When you were a child and saw your older siblings or friends riding a bike (without training wheels), you didn’t look at their scraped knees and elbows and say, “Whoa, I could get hurt doing that.” Instead, you begged to try it for yourself. With a great deal of practice and often pain, you gradually learned how to maintain your balance. When you fell, you would get back on and try again with even greater determination. From your very first effort, you believed in your mind that if you got back on, you would eventually learn to ride. I bet you even knew in your mind you would be the best in the neighborhood, in your school, in the state, in the world!  

4.  Be positive. If you see obstacles before you, then you will also only see problems. If you have hesitations that your plan will not work, then it will not work. As Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right." If you are influenced by the power of negative people, then you will never be any better than they are. Believe in yourself and what you are capable of achieving with God's help.  When your desire to succeed is stronger than the pain, fear or frustration of failing, there is no turning back. I challenge you to view your goals just like you did when you were a child before you learned about self-doubt and negative criticism.
 
Since today is the first day of Black History Month, it is important to note that people of African descent in this country survived the horrors of the peculiar institution of slavery because they had a strong belief in freedom and equality.

Remember, Jesus said, “All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23, ESV). Therefore, make a commitment that you will not let anything or anyone, including yourself stand in your way of reaching your goals.

Faithfully yours,
Danny C. Murphy
General Presbyter