Harvey, Jason - Achieve Anything In Just One Year - Be Inspired Daily to Live Your Dreams and Accomplish Your Goals

What are you doing to stay true to yourself today? Are you constantly trying on the masks of outside influences instead of appreciating the face God has given you, as Shakespeare put it? Remember, you are the secret weapon for success. You can’t let your unique talents emerge if you are constantly covering them up with the status quo.

When you are bombarded with outside influences today—and you will be—think before you act. Are you picking up that new bestselling book just because it’s popular, or are you really interested in the story? Did you choose the shoes you’re wearing today because you like them or because you saw a famous actor wearing them in a magazine? Let your face emerge as a powerful influence today.

DAY

358

“We are so accustomed to disguising ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.”

— François Duc de la Rochefoucauld

Carl was going to do what it took to fit in at his new law firm. One of the partners asked him if he played golf, and he blurted out, “Of course!” Hundreds of dollars in lessons later, he was a passable player. Carl hated the game, but he thought he needed to be out there with the other guys. That wasn’t the only new thing that he adopted. Carl’s wardrobe changed from modest navy suits to Armani designs and flashy cufflinks, he got a Blackberry and a membership to the country club, and finally, he traded in his Honda for a BMW.

Carl caught a glimpse of himself in the hall mirror when he came home one night. Who is that guy? he thought, as he stared at his reflection. Who is that pompous jerk with the slicked-back hair, the man who is living far above his means? Carl stepped closer to the mirror to try to find a hint of his true colors somewhere in the persona he had spent months creating.

What do you do to disguise yourself? Are you good at becoming a chameleon and fitting into almost any situation? Do you tend to adopt the behaviors and attitudes of those around you in order to fit in? Be careful. That’s an easy way to lose yourself. Practice worrying less about how others perceive you and more about honoring your own identity. The right friends, the right job, and even the right significant other will come to you if you don’t disguise yourself. If you reveal who you truly are, you will attract the people who will most complement your life.

DAY

359

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.”

— Harvey Fierstein

Your voice is important.

You are a significant influence on this world.

You are not a victim.

You get to define yourself.

Write each of the four sentences above on a separate piece of paper in your journal, and then fill the rest of the page with your thoughts. Are you defining yourself, or are you letting others do it for you?

If you want to achieve your dreams, you must remember these four messages. They are essential to finding the strength you need to succeed. Take control of your life and your future. Define yourself. It is so exciting to realize that you don’t have to hold back or cover up your true self. Unleash your potential. Don’t let anyone stop you from following your path to success. Find people with common goals and work with them. Help others along the way, but never let someone else tell you who you are or what you are capable of accomplishing. You are the only one who can do that.

Accept nothing less than what you know to be true about yourself and your potential. Don’t worry if others laugh at your dreams. They don’t get to vote on your future. You’re in charge of that. Define yourself today . . . and think big!

DAY

360

“Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you?”

— Fanny Brice

Do you feel like an actor pretending to be you in real life? Are you play-acting at one thing, when you know you are something else? It’s stressful to try to imitate all of the right moves and make people believe you are someone you’re not.

Maybe you are pretending to be really knowledgeable about a certain technology at work, but the truth is you have no idea what you’re doing. Unfortunately, it’s only a matter of time before the curtain comes down and that scene is over. What is going to happen when they find out the truth?

Think through your life today. Are there areas where you are posing? Are you pretending to be something you think you should be? As Fanny Brice mentions in the quote above, sooner or later you’re going to forget the pose. Do you really want to go through the embarrassment of admitting you were pretending to be something you’re not? Not only is that dishonest, but it also carries the connotation that you’re ashamed of who you really are. Are you?

You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. The world wants to see you just as you are. No one is interested in the poser. We want the real deal. So throw away all of your costumes and take off that horrid makeup. Reveal your true self and seize control of your future. Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be.

DAY

361

“A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles.”

— Tim Cahill

You are now nearing the end of your year-long journey to achieve your dreams. How do you feel? Have you experienced any significant changes in your life over the past year?

During these final few days you will have a chance to explore your journey thus far, starting with ways in which journeys can be measured. Read the quote above and write in your journal about your personal reaction to that sentence.

There are so many methods you can use to measure a journey. One significant way is through the friends you have made along the way. A journey is always a success if you have had a chance to meet new friends and develop lasting relationships with people who inspire you and help you to thrive. Measure your journey in friends over this past year. Have you made any new friendships? Have you deepened the friendships you already have?

It is never too late to start measuring your journey in friends. Solid relationships with others are so important in helping you to live an abundant and happy life. The road to success is not a solitary one. Relationships also give you a chance to reach out and lend a hand to someone in need—a critical ingredient for success.

If you haven’t spent a lot of time cultivating friendships this year, don’t beat yourself up about it. Change your pattern of behavior right now. Build your friendships one step at a time. Learn more about others. Find out how wonderful your friends are, and your life will become richer in the process.

DAY

362

“Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination, we forget the journey.”

— Anonymous

Julia was from Finland, but she had many relatives who lived in the United States. Her mother promised her when she was a little girl that she could go and visit them when she turned sixteen. Julia could hardly wait. As her sixteenth birthday approached, there was only one thing on her mind—Disney World! Julia was a Disney freak, and it was a lifelong dream of hers to visit the Magic Kingdom.