One person with a belief is equal to a force of 99 who have only interests. – John Stuart Mill
If you want to live an effective life, there is one condition you should meet:
You must believe in what you do.
Believing in what you do might seem trivial, but the fact is it can make a huge difference. As the quote above says, it makes you much more powerful than those who just have interests.
There are at least three reasons why you should believe in what you do:
1. It gives you a reason to start.
In many cases, the most difficult part of doing something is to start it. There is an inertia at the beginning that you must overcome. Once you overcome it, things will get easier.
Your belief can help you overcome that inertia. If you believe in what you do, you have a strong reason to start. You have a strong reason to overcome any obstacles. That’s how you can get started doing something difficult.
Starting this blog wasn’t easy for me. I’m not a native English speaker, so starting a blog in English required extra effort. But I believe in the subject (personal effectiveness), and I believe in reaching people all around the world. That belief helped me overcome the inertia of starting this blog.
2. It helps you spread the word to others.
When you believe in what you do, you have enthusiasm. People can feel it when they encounter you. They can feel your energy and passion. As a result, they are much more likely to believe in your message.
If, on the other hand, you don’t believe in what you do, people could dismiss you easily. After all, there are many other things demanding their attention. Why should they listen to you? Your belief makes you stand out.
3. It keeps you motivated during difficult times.
This is perhaps the most important benefit of having a strong belief. Difficult times are inevitable, whether you like them or not. You could work hard, but get poor results. Or you could experience unexpected setbacks.
In any case, you need a strong reason to keep moving forward. You need a strong reason not to quit. Your belief gives you that reason. If you don’t have it, you may just choose to do something easier. But if you do, you will keep pushing forward no matter what.
In running this blog, I have experienced many difficult times. For instance, I barely had any readers in the beginning. I wrote diligently, but almost nobody read my posts. It felt like speaking to an empty room. And this lasted for months.
Fortunately, I believe in the mission of this blog. I believe in optimizing lives. Because of that, I kept at it despite the situation. I kept writing. Eventually, this blog grew.
I’m glad I didn’t quit.
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Do you believe in what you do? Do you do something that resonates with your heart? If your answer is no, then it’s time to change the situation.
Find what you believe in, and do it. Remember: one person with a belief is equal to a force of 99 who have only interests.
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For a collection of my best motivational writings, check out Motivation Booster.
