How do you see yourself? Be honest. If you were to look in the mirror for a good, long look, how would you describe what you see? The way we see or view ourselves is extremely important. It’s called our self-concept. Literally, it is the concept of yourself, the concept of you. Like looking at yourself from the outside as others see you. If you were to stand back and see yourself this way, how would you say that you look? Are you beautiful? Are you cute? Are you handsome? Are you intelligent? Are you funny? Or do you think of yourself as stupid, ugly, or boring? How would you describe yourself? What physical attributes and personality traits would you mention are the most prominent in describing you? How do you see things?
How you perceive yourself and your place in the world is an important question to honestly ask. That’s why my goal is TCL: Think, Choose, Live! If we change the way we think, we’ll change the choices we make. And if we change the choices we make, we’ll change the life we live!
Unfortunately, many of us do not have a good or positive self-concept of how we see ourselves. Why is this? Why don’t we have a more positive view of ourselves and who we actually are? What lies have you bought into about who you are? Often we are not honest about who we are, but rather who we think we are. We see ourselves as who we would like to be. If you are reading this, you are still here, and I want you to hear! You haven’t given up, and you haven’t failed. You are not a failure. There’s a very thin line between success and failure. No matter what anyone tries to tell you, there are no overnight successes. It only seems that way.
Upcoming music artists, groups, boy bands, rappers, actors, and star athletes sometimes seem to come out of nowhere to enjoy super-stardom. And although they do appear to become instant celebrities, they are not. Many years of hard work and hours upon hours of sacrifice went into their careers before they “suddenly” ascended to the top of their respective field. If you ask a successful person how many times they failed before they finally found success, most will tell you that they struggled tremendously for a long time before great things started to happen. It’s a process. It’s a journey. It’s a mountain to climb.
Sylvester Stallone famously mentioned the struggle that it took to bring Rocky to the big screen. He was turned down by virtually every major Hollywood studio, yet he not only still believed in his script, but also that he should play the lead character. As he tells it, it took ten years to finally get his most famous film made. He saw what others didn’t see. His self-concept and understanding of who he was and how he saw himself was ultimately what helped to make his career. As Stallone also has said, “You have to be yourself and do what you know. That’s who you have to be.”
A great and awesome quote from the movie Rocky Balboa (Rocky 6), when Rocky is speaking to his son about his value says, “Now, if you know what you’re worth, go out and get what you are worth. But you got to be willing to take the hit, and not point fingers saying you ain’t what you want to be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!”
In the entire universe, in all time, you are the only you.
Never before have molecules come together exactly like you.
Never again will your footsteps be repeated upon this earth.
No one will ever leave the imprint that you will.
Your strength is a strength someone can count on.
Your love is a love that can make a difference.
Your life is a life that can move the whole world for the better.
Do you dare to make the difference that only you can make?
Say, “Yes.” You don’t go to a gym to find a muscle; you go to a gym to develop a muscle!
There are not any “nobodies” in this world. God created us all as “somebodies.” The difference is some people have not yet realized they are somebody!
Listen to the inner voice that tells you that you matter; you are smart, important, and awesome. Your name tag should read, “Hello, my name is I Matter because I am somebody!”
Bobby Petrocelli shares his tragedies and triumphs this Tuesday on LIFE TODAY. Adapted from You Matter: It Doesn’t by Bobby Petrocelli. Copyright ©2015 by Bobby Petrocelli. Published by HonorNet Publishers. Used by permission.
