Your Own Worst Enemy

"Who gone stop me? Who gone stop me huh?"
-Jay-Z and Kanye West "Who Gone Stop Me"

Greetings folks. Whenever we look for opposition to our success we tend to look outward; looking around every corner and under every stone for people who may hinder our pursuit of success. And we’re right for doing so. Ask every successful person and they can all point to someone or something that got in the way of fulfilling their dreams. It happens. It’s a part of the process. You deal with it and you move on. However, the problems outside of the walls that guard our aspirations aren’t the only ones we should be worried about. I challenge you to look inward as well.

We all have (should have) haters, that is if you're doing anything worthy of hating. However, often times we're own worst enemies. Shooting down our own ideas before they ever get started, telling ourselves "no" before we've given anyone the chance to say "yes."

I know it may sound crazy but think about it. How many ideas have you stopped in their tracks because “you” said it couldn’t be done? How many times have you started and stopped going along a certain path because “you” said it wasn’t a good idea? How many times have you scrapped an idea because “you” said it was too difficult for you to accomplish? We’ve all been there, done that and have had these thoughts. Sometimes the idea not to go forward with a particular idea or plan is the absolute right choice. Perhaps, jelly flavored fingernails aren’t as good of an idea as you originally thought. Maybe running that daycare out of your efficiency isn’t as sound a business plan as it sounded when you had this idea at 3 a.m. the other night. Sometimes the ideas that we have aren’t bad, but are just bad for right now. Everything has a time, a season, a rhyme and a reason. And what may not work today, may work perfectly tomorrow. The key is knowing which pile to put these plans and when to act our dreams.

Regardless of what column your ideas, hopes, and dreams belong to, you have to stop hating on yourself. Stop persecuting yourself. Stop doubting yourself. If you don't believe in you who will and better yet who should?

Success begins within. It starts by dreaming, it becomes possible by believing and comes to fruition by achieving. Give yourself a chance before you shut it down. If you can make it past your own scrutiny you'd be amazed about what you can accomplish.

Walt Disney stated, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Be courageous, pursue your dreams and at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, you can be satisfied with the fact that at least you tried. But you can’t possibly win the game if you never step foot on the court and attempt a shot. Get in the game, chase your dreams and make them into reality.

Thanks for reading. Until next time Stay Up and Be Blessed!