Last night I was up till late, reading the last few pages of a book. My phone rang. It was Steve. “Bob, I just had to call you at this hour. Tomorrow is a big day for me. I will be meeting the investors for my project. I have been prepping for this presentation for so long but now I am having mixed feelings!” He said.
“Okay! Calm down now, Steve. Now, tell me what is bothering you?” I asked.
“Oh, so many things going on in my mind. At one point I feel that this is a unique idea and that they will be convinced. Then the very next moment I feel that the presentation may go wrong. Then another thought comes in where I feel that even after convincing, what if I lose it halfway? My mind is at unrest!” He replied.
“This is not the right approach, Steve. Firstly, unless you are confident you can’t expect others to believe in your idea. Secondly, if you start with the fear of losing then you are starting with a wrong thought and intention. That will be reflected throughout. With this approach, you will be anxious and won’t enjoy the journey even if it’s a ‘yes’, I said.
“I know but how can I help myself?” He asked.
“Optimism Month it is! You can simply be positive and know that no matter what your job is to give your best irrespective of the outcome. Be it a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, just know that we can never control the result but we should leave no stone unturned. That will be a fulfilling feeling!” I answered.
“You are right! I will be optimistic and not think that way. I am going to calm myself down and keep your words in mind. ‘Yes’ or ‘no’ I will give my best!” He replied.
“Yes, that’s the spirit. Good luck for tomorrow and give me a call once done,” I said. “Thank you, Bob and I will give you a call,” He replied and then we hung up.
There should be no room for self-doubt or conflicting thoughts to take away our performance at the last moment. We should have an optimistic approach and believe in ourselves. Being optimistic fills us with inner strength and we start radiating confidence. That in turn paves the way for new bigger opportunities and victories!
