I see the strangest thing happen with some of my clients. They have everything they need for success – they’re smart, motivated, and creative. They possess both a solid work ethic and a positive mindset. Combined with a little bit of luck and the ability to recognize and capitalize on opportunities when they present themselves, these qualities should be enough for them to rise to the top in any field.
They should be able to take charge during challenging situations, make the right decisions, and move forward with confidence.
But something holds them back.
They encounter a critical, high-stakes situation, and suddenly – for reasons that escape me – lose faith in themselves. They lose their ability to evaluate, navigate, and negotiate the best possible outcome. Instead of believing in their strengths and trusting their unique and formidable mix of personal assets, they look to something outside themselves.
You might not believe me, but I’ve seen rational, intelligent, mature adults abandon their own instincts and instead place their faith in things like special amulets, lucky charms, a rabbit’s foot, or some sort of magical potion.
If you laughed, it’s okay – it makes me laugh, too.
Because it’s kind of absurd.
Faith Beats Fear
Let me clarify: the right kind of faith beats fear. Placing your faith in a worn brass trinket you picked up from a street vendor in Thailand when you were twenty-three is the wrong kind of faith – especially if you believe that trinket is what gets you through tough situations. That kind of robs your power, dilutes your self-belief, and puts you in a hole you may not be able to climb out of.
If that’s the wrong kind of faith, then what’s the right kind?
Faith in yourself.
Forget the trinkets, the magic potions, and the lucky t-shirts. Get rid of anything you have an unhealthy dependency on, because those things never were and never will be the reason you succeed. The reason you succeed is you. As soon as I see my clients veering toward superstition, I tell them to take personal responsibility, engage the challenge head on, and believe they have everything they need to master the situation and make the right choice.
When they shift their reliance from external things to their internal power, they resolve difficulties, overcome challenges, and move forward with greater confidence. Then, when they come back to me and thank me for the advice, here’s what I tell them:
Your real lucky charm is you.
