Just the other day, I heard an interesting quote I wanted to share with all of you. It was made even more interesting by the fact that the person who said it was the manager of a sports team.
“Everyone talks about going outside of the box,” he said, “when they don’t even know what is inside of the box!”
I had to think about that for a minute or two before I fully understood what he was trying to say. We have a tendency to feel that the solutions to all of our problems is to become someone else. We wish for, and even dream that if we could only be more like “so and so,” that we could become richer or more admired; respected and even more famous!”
Have you ever considered that maybe they (whoever they are) want to be more like you?
What you may be lacking is not talent, job skills, “likability” or even intelligence. What you may be lacking is something far more basic and fundamental; it is “belief.”
Believing in Yourself
In my Visualmpact keynote presentations I often talk about the “Canvas of Your Imagination.” I present on the fact that all the tools we need are within us. The tools are well within your box, or cubicle or world or however you want to imagine it, to be more creative, successful, happy and effective. The rut or valley you might imagine you are in, may not be a valley or rut at all. You might be stuck not in a place, but in a state.
When I talk to audiences about their imaginations, and the absolute ability of each person to be more creative, effective and successful I am sometimes challenged!
“Oh no Richard, not me. You have me confused with Mary over there in engineering, or Joe, our Chief Creative Officer, or Susan from marketing!”
I smile, and gently tell them that I have not confused them with anyone. I might then pose this question: “How much do you believe in yourself? Really believe?” I am often met with uncertain smiles or little shrugs. When we have no trust in ourselves, in our creative canvas, we stop believing that there is a special greatness within each one of us.
I am absolutely convinced that your own unique canvas, and your own unique imagination is something that is special and beautiful. Your abilities, skills and possibilities are limitless if you only believe in what you can do. Whatever it is you do for a living, no matter how humble your start in life, no matter the pain you have encountered – or may be encountering right this moment, you have abilities far beyond what you may believe. And there’s that word again: belief.
Throughout the world, great inventions, structures, nonprofits, retail stores, medicines, works of art, pieces of music, apparel companies, universities, charities, computer software programs, and even winning baseball teams were created by people who simply said: “I believe in myself.”
They started with a blank canvas and instead of worrying about what others thought, or what difficulties were in their lives, they pushed ahead with their own vision and created something that had never been created before? What was in their box, what was in the canvas of their minds, was brought to life through the belief they had in themselves.
Whatever you do today, find just a moment to affirm that within you lies greatness. It only needs to be drawn on your unique canvas. Let me help you paint the canvas of your imagination.
About Richard Hight
Richard Hight is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), a recognition awarded through the prestigious National Speakers Association. Only 12 percent of the more than 5,000 professional speakers worldwide currently hold this respected professional designation.
Residing in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Richard travels the world and shares his messages with millions of people. He has appeared on CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX networks. His artwork has been placed in museums and in more than 50 universities around the country. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, the theater, reading, and music.
Richard is a dedicated husband to his wife, Marty, and a loving father to his two children, Averie and Coleman. As a family, they have actively supported Averie, who has Down Syndrome, in the Special Olympics.
To book Richard Hight for a Visualmpact presentation contact Richard by telephone or through this website.