The greatest challenge and obstacle on the pathway to success is learning how to completely control our thoughts. Do you realize that you can literally think your way into success! The thoughts we allow and entertain in our own minds – whether they are positive or negative, believing or fearful, pure or immoral, dreaming or doubting – they will literally become our very actions. Over time, as we all know, our actions become habits – and it is our daily habits that determine and create our potential, character, and eventual destiny. Thus, any success in life – be it financial, academic, athletic, parental, social, emotional, and especially spiritual – is developed and determined by the thoughts we think on a continual basis.

Our potential in life is not determined by uncontrollable circumstances, racial characteristics, economic conditions, family dynamics, schools attended, or social connections – our potential is made or unmade by ourselves. In life, there really are no such things as circumstances – we create them. Do you actually believe William Henley when he said “I am the captain of my fate, I am the master of my soul”? In order to take control of our fate, souls, and our very lives, we must first learn how to control our thoughts, eliminate fear and doubt, have a pure and clean mind, and ensure that every thought we think is positive, believing, and disciplined.

We are what we think! Thoughts and results are the exact same thing. Do you believe that? Do you realize that the most talented athletes are those who train theirmindsto focus, believe, and think big? Successful musicians, actors, and politicians have achieved greatness because they had faith and literallythoughtanything was possible. The wealthiest individuals who have ever lived have learned how to eliminate thethoughtsof fear, doubt, and failure. Likewise, the hardened criminal or the sexual predators are simply living a life that is being dictated by thethoughtsthey entertain in their own minds.

The vast majority of people everywhere live far below their potential, not because of a lack of ability, talent, knowledge, or work ethic; but because they have not developed the ability to control and convert their thoughts into actions that lead to success. You can become and accomplish anything in life. Your goals and dreams are absolutely possible. Yes, it will require great effort and work on your part to achieve your dreams and realize success; however, most often people fail to put forth the work necessary because they don’t believe in themselves and that their dreams are even possible. As long as you believe andthinkthat, your actions will reflect that mentality and success will never be accomplished. “Whether you think you can or you can’t – you are right” – and Henry Ford not only penned that, but he believed it and lived it; and ironically, after much failure and criticism from others, his company and charitable foundation (of billions of dollars) is still benefitting people across the globe.

So, what are your goals or dreams? What successes do you desire to achieve? Do you realize that you are capable of doing and accomplishing far more than you eventhinkyou can? We alone determine and create our own potential – and potential, greatness, and success not only start, but are achieved in the mind. This is the great challenge on our pursuit to accomplish success – learning how to control our thoughts, eliminating the voices of fear and doubt, believing in ourselves and our dreams, thinking positively and thinking big. And yet ironically, controlling our thoughts requires daily effort. But thankfully, if we put forth this daily effort, we literally can become and accomplish anything if we not only realize the power of our thoughts, but ensure that our thoughts convert to actions that lead to success.