Public Spark

Nelson Mandela

1. Being diligent

   Constantly taking action helps your self-esteem grow. Those who wait and hope for something magical to happen will only gain disappointment and self-pity. Larry Page and Sergey Brin didn’t sit around and become billionaires. They kept working hard trying different ideas before coming up with Google.

2. Push yourself even a little outside your comfort zone

   To expand your maximum potential, people have to get out of their comfort zones. Real Estate tycoon Donald Trump said, “Every day, you’ll have opportunities to take chances and to work outside your safety net. Sure, it’s a lot easier to stay in your comfort zone.. in my case, business suits and real estate.. but sometimes you have to take risks. When the risks pay off, that’s when you reap the biggest rewards.”

3. Watch your internal language

   Negative thoughts is detrimental to your confidence. Whatever you think about constantly, you will achieve. Instead of focusing on failure, focus on possibilities. This is something I’ve had to and continue to work on. When I’ve had non-dream jobs in the past, it was dreadful getting up to go to work. I would drag my feet and feel miserable, think negatively and the result would be a miserable day. Although I could not change the fact that the job itself was miserable, I was able to change my positive thinking. I would have a mantra every morning along the lines of: “It’s a challenging job, but I know I am strong enough to get through. I am gaining an experience that will make me a happier person in the future. There’s a reason why I’m suffering now. I will have a good day and I’m closer to achieving my dreams.”

4. Responding to fear

   Fear is a normal part of any human beings. However, successful people learn to manifest fear and use it in a more productive way. This is my favorite quote by former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela. “You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we consciously give other people to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

5. Be surrounded by others that believe in the right thing

   So much of who we are are shaped by our experiences as well as who we surround ourselves with. Peer pressure can work in a positive way. On touch days, it helps to have friends/ co-workers that can listen and empathize. Relationships are a blessing and can help us get through the toughest hurdles.