Success in whatever you do is largely determined by your belief in your self. Of course, there are other factors to consider such as education, environment, and support from family and friends. However, belief in your self is the basis from which dreams--big or small--become reality.
Belief in your self springs from two sources-- self-awareness and courage. Self-awareness involves an understanding of what you can do and what you can be. It allows you to “scan” your self in full dimension to know the parameters of your limits. Courage is your ability to execute what you want to do within and beyond your perceived personal limits.
In 1977, Terry Fox, a Canadian, discovered that he has a malignant tumor in his right leg. He was only 18 years old. The night before his right leg was amputated, he read about an amputee runner and decided he would run even with only one leg to fight cancer.
Terry Fox started his marathon in April 12, 1980, running an average of 42 kilometers a day through six provinces with only one leg. His goal was to raise $1 from every Canadian to fund cancer research.
By September 1, 1980 cancer has spread through his lungs and he stopped running just outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario. By this time, Terry has covered 5,373 kilometers, running a total of 143 days. By February 1, 1981, his dream of raising $1 from every Canadian was realized. At this time, the Canadian population was 24.1 million. Terry’s run netted a total of $24.17 million.
Terry died in July 28, 1981. He was 22 years old.
You can learn a lot from Terry Fox’s story: What might seem at first to be unattainable and insurmountable becomes possible when you believe in your self. Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results. But first you have to believe in your self.
It is appropriate to close this article with the song, “Believe” by Josh Groban. The last four stanzas of the song say it all:
Believe in what you feel inside
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe
References:
Mercer, S. (2008). Learner self-beliefs. ELT Journal, 62(2), 183-183.
Terry Fox and the Foundation. Retrieved from: http://www.terryfox.org/Foundation/Facts.html
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