Is how you think of yourself stopping your DREAMS?

I recently came across this video. I encourage you to watch it. By watching this video it really opened up my eyes to how critical we can be on ourselves. Especially the way we look. How many times have you been critical on yourself? Critical about your hair, dimples, long chin or nose? What you are about to see is a test that was conducted where people had to sit in front of a sketch artist and describe to the sketch artist how they look. The sketch artist would then take the descriptions and start sketching the person.

After the sketch artist was done the sketch artist would ask the person he just sketched to leave and shortly after another person would come in who happened to just meet the person leaving a few days before. The second volunteer had to now describe to the sketch artist the person that just left and also met days before. Keep in mind that the sketch artist never saw the two people. In fact he had his back turned away the entire time.

It got me to thinking how powerful our minds are and how our opinions, suggestive thoughts, and brainwaves can set us back in life. When we don't have confidence in ourselves and most important LOVE OURSELVES. It caused an array of problems. The way we think about ourselves reflects our friends, family, job interviews and even the way we perform as magicians. I can recall a few years back when I was a little insecure about myself. I was a down a lot of times because I just couldn't find my place in magic. I thought that I just wasn't good. Then in 2012 my life changed when I invented "Butterfly in a BOX" that changed my life and suddenly I started to look t myself as a inventor more then a magician. Although it is good to be both so you can understand who you're making the products for.      

One thing I definitely learned is that when you believe in yourself it will also give you motivation to succeed. You also need to know who you are on a personnel level.
Recognize the skills an look for the things that you don't struggle with. Try to find the things that people compliment you on. Using those strengths will help you with confident as well as venturing out to find more skills.

I remember at one time when I couldn't really find my nitch in magic. I wasn't good with cards or coins. This was just an excuse for myself. I could be good if I invested the practice time into cards and coins. But the truth is I just wasn't interested in them. Then one day I stated plating around with thimbles and then suddenly I found myself, my nitch in magic was thimbles. I discovered that I was quite good at them and now I invest a lot of practice time into getting better. My goal is to one day be the best thimble manipulator in the world. Malcolm Gladwell once said that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill, so if you think you're going to learn 8 languages and become a ballet dancer in 5 years, you're setting yourself up for heartbreak It may take a life time, but you're hard work and persistence will pay off.

On you way to finding who you are. Set goals for yourself. Go out, explore and do things. Just sitting there thinking about what you want to do will only lead to disappointment. Thinking about what you want to do will only make you feel worse about yourself for not even starting them. So don;t look back. Just go.  Once you do make a goal, work hard to achieve that goal. Keep in mind, however, that these should be reasonable goals. Malcolm Gladwell famously posited that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill, so if you think you're going to learn 8 languages and become a ballet dancer in 5 years, you're setting yourself up for heartbreak.

We also need to speak up:
Don't be afraid to speak your opinion. If you disagree or know a better way to do something, speak up! Don't just let your life and opinions wiz by. Being in control shows you that you are capable of being a leader. 

 Unrealistic expectations:
If you have unrealistic expectations for yourself and your abilities you can really harm and hurt your  views you may have on yourself. The unrealistic expectations can also be said for what other people do (thinking that other people always do everything perfect). You have to stop and realize that things don't always go as planned. Some things go right some things go wrong. This mind frame of thinking will help you feel better about yourself.

Recognize who you are.
Just like you everyone makes mistakes, but at the same time everyone can do some pretty incredible, awesome stuff. You can do awesome stuff too. We all have something to offer and everybody is equal. Don't look down on yourself or see yourself as  different or separate from other people. Others may feel the same way as you.
 

OUR  insecurities.

Everyone is insecure in some form or another. Don't let insecurities dictate your life. There was a notable Hawaiian musician. He was a a great singer and ukulele player. His name is Kamakawiwoʻole and he was famously known for his rendition of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" Even though Kamakawiwoʻole was very talented he was also very obese which eventually took his life. At one point he weighed 757 pounds 6-foot-2-incs. Kamakawiwoʻole died at age 38 of a heart attack related to obesity. In that same year, Kamakawiwoʻole married his childhood sweetheart Marlene. Soon after, they had a daughter whom they named Ceslie-Ann "Wehi". Even though Kamakawiwoʻole had all these challenges and setbacks it didn't stop him from pursuing his dream. He was loved by many and people and they looked beyond his obesity. Instead they heard beautiful music from a beautiful soul.

Helping people.

When we help others it gives us an idea of what we are capable of. It will also help you feel better about yourself. I feel that by helping others it gives us a feeling of fulfillment and you will find yourself more confident than ever.


Challenge yourself.

It's easy to have the mind frame of "I can't do it!" Even though it may be hard to do try taking on things that may be hard and challenging to do. You just might surprise yourself. 
Prove to yourself that you can do it.

Love yourself.

Treat your body and soul with love. The more you're lazy and eating unhealthy foods the more you'll think that you aren't worth putting an effort in. Love yourself and keep yourself healthy, clean and wear nice clothes to help show yourself that you are worth taking care of.
Don't try to be someone you're not or think negative of the things that may be wrong with you. You are who you are. Don't try to be someone else. By trying to be someone else you are forcing yourself to be someone you're not. You can change the things that really matter to you, but you won't be happy if you force yourself to be someone or something that you are not. Love yourself for who you ARE.

Imaginator's thoughts.
We all have gifts and talents. We look at ourselves in different ways then others who may look at us. In essence we are our worst critic. It's a disease. It's the negative forces in our live and in the universe. If you believe you can you will. If you believe you can't you will fail. Our world is big and so can our DREAMS.
 DREAM BIG! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and INSPIRE others to do the same so that they may INSPIRE! By searching and seeking yourself out you just might find that YOU ARE A DIAMOND in the ROUGH!
-Imaginator-
 
Effect: Coal to Diamond by Steve Hart. www.magic2motivate.com

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