Dare to Try

If you think you are beaten, you are If you think you dare not, you don't, If you like to win, but you think you can't It is almost certain you won't. If you think you'll lose, you're lost For out of the world we find, Success begins with a fellow's will It's all in the state of mind. If you think you are outclassed, you are You've got to think high to rise, You've got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize. Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or faster man, But soon or late the man who wins Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!” ― Walter D. Wintle

Have you ever questioned your ability to succeed? Have you felt unsure that your best would be good enough? Have you taken the safe route instead of pursuing your most audacious dreams? Have you held yourself back, not spoken up, not volunteered, or not stepped forward for fear of failure? Of course, you have. We all have.

Knowing your limits and making wise choices based on those limits helps keep you safe and increases the odds that you will choose options which favor your success. Underestimating your own abilities and imposing overly restrictive constraints doesn’t keep you safe though, it holds you back from fulfilling your potential and achieving your dreams.

When you don’t dare to try, you are certain to fail. When you count yourself out before you give your best effort, you sell yourself short. When you don’t show up because you are afraid you won’t win, you lose the opportunity to play the game. Believing in yourself, in your ability to learn and grow, in your tenacity and perseverance, in your worth and inherent value empowers you to take the first step toward achieving any goal. If you think you can, who knows, maybe you will!