YOU Are Your Own Worst Enemy

I talk to potential clients all day long that really have NO idea how powerful they are.  Some are wildly successful in many areas in life, but in one area, they are just stuck and can’t move forward.  Others are wildly unsuccessful and get stopped everywhere; they have multiple failures and can’t figure out why their great ideas don’t turn out… the problem, no matter the client, is almost ALWAYS the same: they have NO IDEA who they ARE, or how powerful they are.

I used to have these 2 dogs; a Lhasa Apso and a Bull Mastiff.  The Lhasa was 25 lbs., the Mastiff about 125.  The Mastiff was HUGE.  His head was the size of watermelon and when he was running toward a stranger, barking–their life would flash before their eyes.  He was massive.  The other dog, however, was one of those white, yappy lap dogs that you want to kick like a football to get him to shut up.  He was almost all white with long hair covering his eyes and was always mistaken as a girl: “Aw… what’s her name?  She’s sooooo cuuuuute!  What a little princess.”  Strangers LOVED this dog.  However, strangers were erroneous.  The dog to fear was the white one.  The Lhasa was cunning and evil.  He would bite you in the face before you knew what hit you.  He hated almost everyone and was incredibly aggressive.  The Mastiff, on the other, was afraid of his own shadow.  The funniest daily event in our house occurred when Max (the Mastiff) would tear around the main floor, tongue flapping behind him running for his life… you guessed it, being chased by the Lhasa, nipping just feet from his heels.  Max ran like his life was at stake.  He was terrified.  And, you know why? Elliot (the Lhasa) knew how powerful he was.  He had what dog trainers often refer to as “Little Dog Syndrome;” that condition where 25 lb. dogs think they are the alpha and they can rule the world.  The funny thing about that is they most often do.

As humans, we need more “Little Dog Syndrome” and less self-doubt disguised as humility.  It’s not attractive to think less of yourself than you are. It’s not humble to cheat yourself out of your potential.  In fact, it’s down-right stupid.  I have the privilege to talk to some of the most amazing people on this planet on a daily basis, and, you know, most of them have NO idea who is walking right there in front of me, inside their skin.  They think they are weak, afraid, and unable to accomplish their dreams.  The really sad thing is… they are right.  As long as they think they are powerless, they are. Most times, I meet people that do have at least some idea of their power; however, they are just as stuck because they won’t allow themselves to be great.  They know they’re “big dogs,” but they afraid to let themselves be big in the world.  They hide behind humility, fear of success and a concern for what others will think of them if they are crazy-successful.  They make a mistake by assuming that being a “good person” means one can’t have money or lofty success; that you can’t REALLY be altruistic if you are rich.

I believe that each of us has an Elliot inside–hopefully not so aggressive and nasty (LOL)–but, really, a powerhouse of possibility and strength ready to jump at any, and every, opportunity.  The problem is we tend to slink into a corner like Max… by the way, did I mention he was literally one of the DUMBEST dogs I’ve ever had.  He had a good heart, though.