“You don’t need everyone to believe in you. As long as you never stop believing in yourself, you’ve already got an advantage.”
— Adam Sandler
This simple truth has been proven in my life over the course of nearly eight decades.
Without self-belief, you invite disappointment, frustration, and doubt to become your constant companions. Sure, you might experience successes along the way — but if you lack confidence in your own abilities, you’ll likely attribute those victories to luck or timing rather than skill or effort. And over time, that narrative quietly undermines your self-worth.
Early in my first career, I was promoted several times and given increasingly important responsibilities. From the outside looking in, it might have appeared that I was climbing the ladder with ease. But internally, I credited those achievements to being in the right place at the right time. I was convinced that fortune, not capability, was moving me forward.
It wasn’t until years later that a respected mentor challenged that thinking. One day, after I brushed off a compliment by saying I was just “lucky,” he laughed and said something I’ll never forget: “Haven’t you figured out by now that you had to be good before you were lucky?”
It was a simple comment, but it hit me like a thunderbolt. For the first time, I reexamined my track record and realized that those promotions, successful projects, and leadership opportunities hadn’t fallen into my lap. I had earned them. My work ethic, skills, decision-making, and perseverance were the real reasons behind those outcomes.
From that moment on, my mindset shifted. I no longer left my progress to chance. I recognized that relying on myself, believing in my abilities, and taking ownership of my successes was the most valuable asset I possessed.
The lesson is this: luck favors the prepared and the persistent. It’s fine when others support and believe in you, but it’s far more important to develop an unwavering belief in yourself. When you do, you stop waiting for luck and start creating your opportunities.
Belief in yourself is the first step toward becoming the person you’re meant to be.
