by Rick Baker
On Mar 13, 2017
When alpha dogs collide you see raising of hackles and you hear snarls & barks...then comes the gnashing of teeth and to-and-fro attacks...much noise, much heated action. Then, sooner or later the battle subsides.
Tied to all this -
Of course, as Napoleon Hill made so clear during the last years of his life - Ultimately, Nothing Matters. The day will soon come when the snarls and barks and even the painful yelps subside into memory.
Ultimately, Nothing Matters.
Regardless, 'ultimately' does not apply to the current situation. The current situation is - now...and...now, right this moment, Many Things Matter...especially, if you have in your mind Personal Values and Personal Goals...let alone Personal Rules, codes of conduct, morals, etc. The stronger your convictions in these areas, the more things matter.
If you do not believe me then just ask a couple of alpha dogs. But, take care not to be bitten or at least snapped at during the process.
by Rick Baker
On Mar 7, 2017
Confidence is a personal thing.
There is no reason to design your self-confidence in a way that fits someone else’s viewpoint or rules.
Your self-confidence can and should be as big as you want it to be…including believing you’re better than anyone else. If you choose to think that way, you will be in good company:
- consider how Muhammad Ali felt and thought when he was in his prime1,2
- think about Wayne Gretzky – would any of us have told Gretzky to stop thinking he was the best?
- think about Napoleon who changed the world
Now, some people confuse confidence with cockiness/hubris/conceit…
Perhaps cockiness does correlate with confidence; perhaps, on average, confident people are cockier than people who are not confident?
Regardless: cockiness is not about what you believe; cockiness is about how you behave. You can choose to be confident without choosing to be cocky. And, confidence without cockiness is a magnetic, inspiring combination.
On the one hand -
No question – sometimes highly-confident behaviour can be off-putting to other people.
On the other hand -
No question – thinking you are better than anyone else can result in Olympic gold medals, putting a man on the moon…and numerous examples of business brilliance.
It seems to me…
Champions and serious contenders must believe they are better than anyone else. Otherwise they are doomed to not be champions or contenders for very long. This applies in the big picture [the major political stages, the premier-level sports stages, etc] and it applies on smaller-scale stages [your chess club, your karaoke contests, etc].
People with lesser ambitions should not impress their non-champion or non-contender beliefs on champions or other more-confident competitors.
Footnotes:
- I have special memories of Muhammad Ali. He ignited my life-long interest in the sweet sport. I remember, when I was very young, attending fight night at our local arena...watching Ali on the big screen, listening to my Dad and his buddies root for the other guy [ex. Joe Frasier]...and all the time wondering why I wanted Ali to win...and wondering what funny things Ali would say to the reporters after he won the fight. Sure, Ali was both confident and cocky. For me, his cockiness was a small thing to endure to witness his tremendous personality and humour...and, of course, his champion-level boxing performances.
- In December 1999 Muhammad Ali received some rather special recognition. Here's a couple of examples: he was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of The Century and BBC Sports Personality of the Century.
by Rick Baker
On Oct 13, 2016
Have you noticed when you truly believe something will happen you become calmer and have a greater clarity of focus?
Have you noticed when you truly believe something will happen your worries melt away and/or are replaced by feelings of certainty and confidence?
For example, consider situations where you have been confused…situations where you face many options and are trying to make an important decision. In these situations, you consider and weigh some options. You deliberate. You decide. And, sometimes your thinking produces an incredibly clear decision, backed by not just decisiveness but also a belief that the actions to follow will result in achievement of the desired goal.
Of course, this does not happen with all of your decisions. However, it does happen for some. And, when you fully believe in the outcome - would you not agree - the successful result is almost guaranteed? When your decisions are backed by strong belief, your confidence is bolstered, you have greater peace of mind, your actions are definite, and success inevitably follows.
Belief is the prime ingredient, the catalyst for results.
Stated another way…
"Belief is the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish in life."
David J Schwartz, 'The Magic of Thinking BIG' (1959…2015 audio book)
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Belief enables us to accomplish:
- Success – achievement of our goals
- Confidence – an essential trait of character
- Peace of Mind – which allows us to enjoy our successes, learn from our errors, and accept other people’s frailties
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Napoleon Hill said...
“What the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve.”
[What a wonderful thought to keep top of mind...always!]