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