Belief and Inspiration are just like the American Express card… Don’t leave home without it!

Belief and Inspiration are two essential ingredients required to achieve almost anything in your life. More importantly the two act like a Black American Express Card…when properly used you will be rewarded with special perks and entre’ into a unique world experienced only by a handful of people the world over. Absolute belief sparked by limitless inspiration in the self, supplies each of us with the creative powers to accomplish any possible goal we desire to achieve. When we are stout of heart the “arrows of misfortune”, which seem to strike down so many good people, suddenly become harmless. Our focus becomes locked onto our unique purpose in life and any possible inconvenience falls by the wayside. Open the Doorway to Inspiration! I do not wish to trivialize people’s personal issues, but they really do become unimportant once we believe in ourselves and focus on our goals. More importantly, when we believe in our skill sets, our abilities, and our intentions the door way to inspiration magically opens. Let me tell you right now… it can be a really big door! So no matter what you are thinking of right now, double, triple, even quadruple the vision you are holding in your mind. Inspiration is unlimited, like infinity unlimited, so make sure to believe in yourself and all the other crap you are dealing with will fade into nothingness. I sense many of you are not “believers” in the POWER of “Belief and Inspiration.” Often it takes a story of another’s success in order to help us rise to our fullest potential. When others show us the way they frequently ensure we become undaunted in our relentless pursuit to have the visions, dreams and goals of our life manifest into everyday reality. So, let’s take a look at 17 year old Maelanie Oudin and her incredible run at The U.S. Open Tennis Championships! Follow the Bouncing Ball... Miss Oudin does not possess the size (she is 5’6” tall), powerful serves or the high velocity ground strokes of Serena and Venus Williams. These apparent inadequacies have become mere inconveniences because her unqualified BELIEF in self allows her to overcome the on court obstacles that often deter many other tennis players. How do we know she is a believer? She has the word imbedded in her shoes!

Self belief has inspired her to best many of the stronger and more experienced tennis players in the tournament. As of today, she stands unbeaten and by claiming victory over 13th seeded Nadia Petrshe she is now in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. Miss Oudin’s victories are a testament to what this article is all about. There are many examples of how the potent powers of belief and inspiration can fuel your ability to experience a larger life. There are the classic stories of Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Joan of Arc. These are stories of legend and time has somewhat separated us from their immediacy. Now you have a smaller more immediate example of a young woman breaking through personal boundaries by demonstrating to the world that if you have a strong belief in yourself there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Once the Ball starts Rolling... Belief and Inspiration thrive on momentum. Once the ball starts rolling you will not only enjoy greater levels of personal belief and inspiration but your actions will reach out to others and in stealth like fashion they will become encouraged to grow outside their boundaries of constraint. Melanie Oudin’s victories are undoubtedly encouraging other, less physically inclined, tennis players and athletes around the world to focus on their abilities and believe in the attainment of their personal goals and aspirations. Goethe said it Best... I now leave you with one of my favorite quotes summing up the powers of Belief and Inspiration: "Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back-- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now." ~ Goethe Namaste, San Dan Yi