Self confidence is one of the keys to success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success. If you want to become self confident, you need things: 1) Become an optimist; 2) Face your fears and act; and 3) Surround yourself with positive people.
If you read this blog frequently, you know that I believe mentors are the most positive people in the world. Mentors, by definition, are positive people because they are willing to invest their time and energy to help others realize their dreams. What could be more positive?
Do you have a mentor? How has he or she helped you in your journey toward career and life success? Please leave a comment, giving a shout out to your mentor and how he or she has helped or is helping you.
I was reading an article in the October 2008 issue of SUCCESS Magazine by Paul Zane Pilzer. In a side bar on mentoring he had this to say…
“I realized that, when you’re 18, your world is wide open. But as each year passes, one more nail goes into the coffin, killing you dreams and aspirations. And by the time you reach 25, you’ve been beaten down and become a realist. And my advice is you can’t let these things get you down.”
Now that’s pretty depressing. When I read the words, “One more nail in the coffin, killing your dreams and aspirations,” I said, “No, it doesn’t have to be that way!”
That’s why I was happy to see Paul’s last bit of advice – “You can’t let these things get you down.”
Sure life is tough; bad stuff happens dreams fall by the wayside. But successful, self confident people get through these ups and downs. One way they do it is by finding a mentor – someone who believes in them and their dreams.
Paul Pilzer is a great mentor. Listen to this story…
“I had the opportunity to counsel six to eight kids a year through high school to get into college. And after meeting these kids, the first thing I would have to do is get rid of some of the stuff other teachers taught them – that they can’t do math well, or write well, or that it’s not realistic to think they can become president, or cure cancer…I want them to rebel against rejection…I want to teach them they can do anything they want.”
That’s the kind of mentor you want. Someone who believes in you so strongly, that he or she helps you “rebel against rejection.”
The common sense point here is clear. Successful people are self confident. Self confident people rebel against rejection. Don’t let rejection get you down. Embrace your personal power. Be an optimist. Feel your fears and act. Find positive people who can help you grow and succeed.
That’s my take on Paul Zane Pilzer’s thoughts on self confidence, optimism and mentoring. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts on this post with us. I really appreciate and value all of your comments. As always, thanks for reading – and writing.
Bud
Or instead of a mentor, find a coach that can help you develop your skills through the art of powerful questioning.
The goals are different and the context would be different as well.
The goal is to unleash the powerful force within through by dreaming, discovering, developing and deploying the strengths we already have.