| I remember when I was in my early twenties, heck, | | | | but in the end it's people playing people and Magic |
| it was only a few birthdays ago (I'm 26 now). | | | | stars were stars because they had done two things |
| Flashback about five years and I was a fresh out of | | | | - they worked really hard at what they did because |
| university nobody with a degree in business | | | | they loved it and they had experience from winning |
| management that I just scraped a GPA 4 in (this is | | | | and loosing a lot of matches.How to be confident at |
| equivalent to a pass in Australia, university grades are | | | | any ageIf the myself of now sat down with myself |
| 1-7, 4 being a pass, 7 being the best). I spent most | | | | at 21 and tried to explain the secret to becoming |
| of my university days lost. Half the time doing what I | | | | confident and attaining success I probably would |
| needed to get through my degree, the other half of | | | | have a lot of trouble getting through to him. It's hard |
| the time indulging in whatever hobby took my | | | | to be a believer without experience and in hindsight |
| interest. Throw in some tennis, a handful of casual | | | | faith is a lot easier, but I'll do my best to help along all |
| jobs and lots and lots of glossy-eyed staring at the | | | | those other people struggling to have faith in |
| beautiful girls on campus and you had my life at | | | | themself.There is only one thing you need to |
| university.It's not a period that I would want to go | | | | understand, and in fact this is more a faith based |
| through again because it was full of growth | | | | decision about your future more than it is a tangible |
| experiences and as usual growth is painful. Girls, job | | | | truth if you are young and/or inexperienced.Your |
| interviews, difficult subjects, forced studying of | | | | success will be determined by your personal |
| materials I had no interest in whatsoever, failure and | | | | congruency, |
| success made me generally uncomfortable and | | | | your courage of conviction and faith in your own |
| unsure of myself for a lot of the time. It all ended | | | | abilities.If you don't have experience, you are young |
| and I came out of it alive, perhaps a little jaded, a | | | | and just starting out in life, you don't have a history |
| little bitter, and of course a whole lot lost. No doubt | | | | of events to draw conclusions from. Books, videos, |
| not that unusual for someone in their early | | | | podcasts and education in general are a good starting |
| twenties.Don't get me wrong, it was a period of life | | | | point but you will never have success, you will never |
| my life that I'm glad I went through, I needed to | | | | get true confidence in yourself without experience, |
| grow as a person. It wasn't always comfortable but | | | | without taking actions and learning from the |
| it taught me a lot and throughout that period my | | | | outcomes.The beauty of experience is that it comes |
| confidence slowly blossomed with each new | | | | from both success and failure. While one makes you |
| experience. As I've grown past the confusing early | | | | feel great and the other makes you feel lousy, the |
| twenties I've realised more and more how vital | | | | end result is still experience and a new framework of |
| confidence is, how a person's congruency with | | | | perception you can apply to your future life. This is |
| themself is the most important building block for a | | | | what experience is. This is what you draw on to |
| successful life.Where does confidence come | | | | create success and this is the essence of your |
| from?Reading about, listening to and watching the | | | | personal congruency.In many ways I'm very |
| most successful people, no matter what fields they | | | | successful right now. In many other ways I'm far |
| are excelling in, makes you feel that these people are | | | | from it. I'm not a millionaire, in fact I have very few |
| special. Something about them makes them different | | | | assets at all. For now lets avoid a discussion of the |
| from everyone else and you may even go as far as | | | | determinants of life success and I'll simply state that I |
| ruling yourself out of achieving similar success | | | | have a hell of a lot more I want to achieve and I bet |
| because you believe that, for whatever reason, be it | | | | you do too.Have faith in the power of |
| luck, genetics, personality or upbringing, something | | | | experienceEach setback in my life was usually |
| about really truly successful people makes them | | | | brought upon by a lack of patience, a desire to |
| different from you. It's as if these people are special | | | | become something else and achieve something |
| and you can not be like them because you lack | | | | quickly (life's version of the get rich quick scheme). |
| whatever magic ingredient they have.To make | | | | During the major catastrophes in life I accused the |
| yourself feel better and gain education you read | | | | world of the usual atrocities, that life was singling me |
| books and study the materials written about the | | | | out to suffer, that I had somehow been selected as |
| special people so you can emulate them and be | | | | a victim and that it just wasn't fair. Each new painful |
| special too. You read the habits of highly successful | | | | experience in life brings about similar feelings and |
| people. You follow goal setting guides, motivational | | | | despite my intellectual understanding of reality it |
| mantras and build blocks to success. For some reason | | | | doesn't make the pain less painful.Your ability to |
| it doesn't work for you, further cementing your | | | | bounce back, to turn the frown upside down, to |
| opinion that really successful people are special and | | | | leverage failure to create success and find |
| different and you can't replicate that magic purely | | | | opportunities in the remnants of breakdown is a |
| through study, self discipline and by following road | | | | lifeskill of tremendous value. Don't let your feelings of |
| maps. You just weren't born to be successful, you | | | | confusion and loss make you depressed. Leaving |
| were born to struggle.Famous and successful people | | | | school, finishing university or quitting (or being fired |
| are just peopleIn 1998 I had the luck and skill to | | | | from) a job are opportunities that you rarely get in |
| qualify for the biggest event in the Magic: The | | | | life. These are powerful turning point moments that in |
| Gathering calendar, the World Championships, that | | | | most people's lives only happen rarely. Major change |
| year played in Seattle, USA. I had played well, was | | | | is not a common occurrence for a typical human |
| lucky and made some smart choices at the Australian | | | | being so relish the opportunity when it comes along, |
| Nationals to land second place and a spot on the | | | | don't drown in your supposed lack of identity.How to |
| Australian World Championship team. By this time | | | | deal with confusionIf you are not sure what to do |
| Magic had become a big deal, with three million dollars | | | | with your life dip your fingers into as many activities |
| distributed as prizes each year (first place at the | | | | as you can and follow those that make you happy |
| world Championships that year won $36,000 | | | | (and no doubt will probably make you money too). |
| USD).The level of professionalism had increased | | | | Use skills to build assets, don't trade labour for |
| greatly as a result and there were people playing the | | | | money because it's not a good long term strategy. |
| game competitively for a full time living. Magic even | | | | Trade your labour today for asset building for |
| had superstars, players you read about in magazines, | | | | tomorrow and start building passive income supports. |
| watched on ESPN and cheered for during live web | | | | It will be hard work and it might seem that for many |
| coverage of the big events. In many ways a regular | | | | years and months that you are making nothing (I |
| Magic player admired these superstars as special | | | | know I feel like that sometimes), but your future self |
| people, people that were very successful in life and | | | | will thank you for it in the years to come.An empty |
| possessed a gift or some form of unique talent, | | | | slate should not make you sad, it's just space that's |
| much like a young golfer might admire Tiger Woods | | | | ready to be filled with your energy and ideas as you |
| or an entrepreneur might look at Richard Branson.Olle | | | | test yourself to see what works and makes you |
| Rade, a young guy from Sweden, enjoyed | | | | happy. Have faith in the power of experience to |
| tremendous success at Magic, winning a Pro Tour and | | | | create personal congruency. Remember that other |
| at that point with lifetime earnings well over $50,000 | | | | people are just like you, even the most famous, |
| USD and he wasn't even 20 yet. I really admired Olle. | | | | most successful people. They are not superheros |
| Then there was John Finkel, who back then was | | | | blessed with magic powers. They simply choose to fill |
| known as the best Magic player with well over | | | | their lives with experiences, they grew from failures |
| $100,000 in career earnings. These guys were | | | | and successes and eagerly jump into new activities |
| superstars, overachievers and in my mind sitting on a | | | | with vigour and passion. They have confidence |
| pedestal above everyone else.Heading to Seattle I | | | | because they can refer back to the outcomes of |
| had my first chance to meet and play these | | | | events in their lives, they know how to deal with |
| superstars of Magic. I'm not one to gush over | | | | situations so they are not afraid to try. Life rewards |
| celebrities but sometimes you can't help but feel a | | | | those people that take action, who don't follow the |
| little in awe of people you've read about in the media. | | | | crowd but rather follow their passions.Remember too |
| Since I knew so much about these famous players | | | | that life is not quick. It's a long ride. You want it to |
| and they knew nothing about me I felt I wasn't on | | | | be that way right. Why be so eager to achieve |
| equal terms, I wasn't confident and in no way did I | | | | certain things by tomorrow? What are you trying to |
| consider myself one of them.By the end of the | | | | become so quickly that you are creating frustration |
| tournament I was exhausted. The little sleep I got | | | | and stress today. Persist in the activities that you |
| didn't help me play the best cards but the experience | | | | have motivation to work on over and over again, |
| I gained was amazing. During the tournament I played | | | | and not just for weeks, but for months and years. |
| Olle Rade and I beat him. It was just like any other | | | | Become good at them and then great at them. |
| match and he was quite upset by the end of it, | | | | These are the skills you will develop because you |
| celebrities don't like losing either. I lost to some other | | | | enjoy them. Eventually they will become your special |
| big names and during our non-playing periods enjoyed | | | | talents that set you apart and you will be surprised |
| getting to know many famous players.By the end of | | | | how suddenly others look at you as if you are |
| the week I had completely changed as a Magic | | | | gifted.By Yaro Starak |
| player. Despite not performing well I left Seattle with | | | | you interested in online marketing, Internet business, |
| confidence in myself as a player and a new | | | | blogs and podcasts? Are you sick of "gurus" trying to |
| perspective on celebrities. Every superstar Magic | | | | sell you the latest get rich quick online deal?Get |
| player I met was no different from me. Sure some | | | | educated, it's the key to real online wealth.Download |
| had natural talents that I didn't, perhaps strong | | | | and read quality how-to articles and listen to podcast |
| mathematical abilities, but I had strengths in other | | | | audio files in mp3 - Visit my blog: Entrepreneur's |
| areas. Magic being a game of skill rewards those that | | | | Journey. |
| practice and study, luck and natural ability play a part, | | | | |