Have you ever experienced self-doubt? If you’re reading this post I’m sure you have. But I ask you that so that you may really stop to consider situations where you allowed self-doubt to lead you to decide based off unreliable or unsubstantiated ideas. It happens, more than we probably like to admit. Now, of course, we’re not going to eliminate all self-doubt we have about every situation we face in life, but we can take a close look at the root of the issue.
Because as individuals we need to learn to trust our instincts. Not to say that mentors, others in leadership, our inner circle, or even a passing stranger can’t be helpful to situations we’re facing, but when we rely on others for everything, we subconsciously diminish our own instincts and intellect as an individual. And this is a bad habit to get into because at the end of the day, we have one life to live and we should not be living it based off what everyone else is doing, or what everyone else thinks.
Why? Well, when we do that, we take for granted that everyone else has better insight to our personal and private concerns and doing so can in turn lead us to waste time and energy and put effort in something or someone when that didn’t have to be the case. For example, just today, I decided to go to the bank on auto pilot. And as I arrived, I said to myself, you know today is a Saturday, which means this location is not even open.
Was I frustrated? – Absolutely, with myself, but then I immediately thought well, just go to the other location. Still, what I didn’t do was verify the time of opening. Once again, my fault, because had I done that I would have known the time that I thought they opened was incorrect. So once again, I arrive at the bank and they’re not even open. Now, I’m even more frustrated…
So, what did I do? I waited. Shocker, um hmm, I know, because in today’s society there aren’t many of us who like waiting or are willing to endure waiting. But I’m glad I did as that is where today’s inspiration came from because as I waited, I realized the fact a car was at the bank, drew other people to come as well. Mind you, all my windows were up and my engine was off, but still people pulled in and two right behind me.
And I imagine from the puzzled look on their face they were all wondering as they left, what I was waiting on, when no bank representatives were available to assist me. What they couldn’t understand or possibly have known is that I had already made a blank trip and simply didn’t feel like going home, just to have to come back. You see, my mindset was eventually they will open and when they do, I’ll be the first customer waited on.
And since I’ve already dated my documents for today’s date and I know tomorrow no bank locations will be open, I may as well just wait here instead of having made two blank trips and accomplished nothing. Besides, by the time I go home, I’d be there only 30 minutes before having to come back. Now, some of you may say, but that’s 30 minutes you could have done something else.
And I’ll have you know I did. Right there in my car, I had my daily scriptures that I read. And best of all, I had my radio and you know how I love a good song… So, while those people who were looking at me crazy didn’t get it, I didn’t care because the fact that they felt lead to come to the bank let me know they more likely than not relied on an unknown stranger being at the bank make them believe the bank was open and did not know the banks hours either.
And if they did know, then that brings me back to why trust because they saw someone else that their instincts were wrong. You see, much like the people today relied on me, we can find ourselves relying on others when we really have no reason to. So, I encourage you to trust yourself and if you need to rely on someone else, make sure that the person you’re putting your faith in is knowledgeable on the issue or situation that concerns you.
~Knowing that your instincts are correct about a situation will allow you to trust yourself instead leaning to following an unknown and unproven stranger. ~Coach Sam
~EXALTED ROYALTY~ A C. E. SAM COMPANY
