Aim High
Banish the word ‘can’t’ from your vocabulary. It is a self-sabotaging word that prevents you from thinking of new possibilities. You can think of anything, no matter how silly it seems, and it will spark your imagination. Not being able to do something is one of the biggest reasons people don't try new things, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Aiming high pays off in many areas in life (e.g., money). In previous posts I talked about how important it is not to aim for mediocrity and how people who aim for excellence tend to succeed more often than those who don't set their goals high enough. In this post, I want to talk about how aiming high is essential to success on the job.
Why should you aim high?
According to Abraham Lincoln, there are only two things that you should be aiming for in life:
1) Being the best person you can be. 2) Being a big help for other people.
Have you set any goals for yourself? What have you done so far in order to achieve them? If none of these goals have been fulfilled so far, perhaps it is time to aim higher. By aiming high and setting the bar higher than what you think that you can achieve with your current skills or resources, it is possible that you will realize your dream in life.
Be confident in your potential. Aim high because you can succeed. You may not know how you are going to achieve these goals yet, but at least you have the desire and determination to do something about it. That is what is most important in this case, because the possibilities are endless in today’s technology-driven world.
If you don’t aim high, then how do you expect to get there? You should be aiming for the top at all times if that is your goal -- that's how success is achieved. If you aren't aiming for the top of your field now, who knows where or when you'll achieve success? Maybe never.
After all, you want to make the most out of your life. Am I right? This means that you should aim for greatness in everything that you do. You want to be a successful entrepreneur, artist, musician, or any other job or activity. You certainly don't want to waste your time doing something mediocre when you can be doing something great!
It is a natural human tendency to aim low in order to feel satisfied with your achievements and results, but it will affect your motivation, enthusiasm and happiness. So if you feel like your results are not matching up with what you are capable of achieving then maybe it is time to aim higher.
You may need to go back and reevaluate your mindset about how far you can go in life with the skills and resources that you have right now. It is not a shameful thing to do.
Aiming high takes more time and effort than aiming low. However, it is the best way to get your goals accomplished sooner rather than later. So be patient and keep working hard towards achieving your dreams. If you don't already, start thinking big today!
Positive Thinking - Day 197
Optimism is probably one of the best things in life; it makes us feel good about ourselves and our future, which also makes us more pleasant around other people who are not pessimists. When we’re optimistic, we don’t worry unnecessarily about an uncertain future. We are excited and passionate about the things we do and see the possibilities rather than the obstacles.
Optimism is a positive and realistic attitude that expects good things to happen, expects success in all aspects of life, and is not negative or discouraged by problems or difficulties. The true optimist always sees the cup as half full, even if it’s half empty. Optimists expect to be happy and successful in everything they try to achieve. They never give up on their goals because they know that their hard work will pay off sooner or later.
Optimists are not afraid to accept failure and learn from their mistakes. They take responsibility for everything that happens in their lives, good or bad. They know that optimism is a choice that they can control; it is not something that “just happens” to them and that is uncontrollable.
The Power of Optimism
Shaolin master Shi Dejian was the head monk of Shaolin Monastery in Henan Province, China during the 1800s. He lost his right forearm in a match against another monk, called Tian Hao-Mei, who had studied under him for years.
Instead of showing his deep anger and disappointment, Shi Dejian said: “If I had known that this would happen, I wouldn't have raised my hand against my apprentice.”
Since that day, Tian Hao-Mei became one of Shi Dejian’s best students. It is said that he was as successful as his master and in many ways even surpassed him.
Positive Thinking - Day 198
To be happy in life means to be more optimistic about the future. Optimism is the ultimate source of human happiness – it is the mental attitude that allows us to be hopeful, joyful and successful throughout our lives.
And the best thing is that optimism is an attitude that can be learned and practiced, like any other skill or talent.
Positive Thinking - Day 199
To be happy in life means to have a long-term perspective on things. We need to have faith and confidence in order for us to be optimistic. A positive mental attitude is a combination of faith, confidence, hope and optimism.
As an example, a person who does not have faith in his or her abilities will most likely not succeed, no matter how good these abilities are. They cannot see the potential in themselves and others. This lack of trust and confidence makes them believe that success is just not for them.
Positive Thinking - Day 200
The opposite applies to a person who has strong faith in his or her abilities and believes that he or she can accomplish anything they desire, if they only put their minds to it. This kind of person is always optimistic because they know that their dreams and goals will be achieved one day, the only question is when.
Being optimistic is an attitude that is learned. It doesn’t just happen; there are no shortcuts to become an optimist because it takes time and effort. Just like a muscle, it needs to be trained and strengthened in order to gain more strength over the years.
Positive Thinking - Day 201
Optimism is a positive mental attitude that allows us to believe that we can achieve our goals and dreams in life, even when we are faced with problems or adversities in the present or future.
Some of us were born pessimists without knowing how to become optimistic.
Conclusion
Now you have probably realized that the only time when we are not optimists is when we are in a state of anxiety and fear. This also applies to some people who refer to themselves as “pessimists.” They think that it is one hundred percent impossible for them to succeed in life.
You may have heard of and read about people who say how pessimistic they are, or even those who boast about their negative thinking ability and how this type of thinking makes them more realistic about everything in life.
However, most of these people really believe that they can do anything and be anything that they want to be.