We live in a world in which people are more apt to discourage than encourage. If you have a dream to do something great, and you tell ten people about it, nine will tell you that you won’t succeed.  And they’ll give you different “rational” reasons to support their opinion.  But their messages will be the same: You can’t.  Now if you are lucky, one person will tell you, “You can do it.”  My suggestion is to listen to the one person and prove the other nine wrong.

Anyone who has achieved anything meaningful in this world has had to ignore the nine naysayers. And many successful folks haven’t even had that one cheerleader.  The unifying quality of successful individuals is their ability to believe in their vision and their ability to block out the naysayers.

For example, my daughter has had both the “You can” and “You can’t” types of teachers. What I admire about her is that the “You can’t” teachers don’t stop her.  She simply ignores them, carries on, and typically exceeds all expectations.

Now my comments are not intended to denigrate well-meaning teachers, parents or friends. Very often people will advise you as to what you can and can’t do in an effort to save you from disappointment.  Their intentions aren’t bad.  They are just misguided.

What the naysayers don’t know is that when your dreams are inspired by God, you are unstoppable.  You and God are always a majority.  And if God has a plan for your life, you simply need to do your part to fulfill that plan, and He will do His.  When it comes to bringing our God-given dreams to fruition, we are not facing the challenge alone.

In my own life, I never heard this message. I grew up knowing only what I could not do.  I had no idea what I could do.  No one ever said, “You can accomplish anything that you set your mind to.”  As a result, I have spent many years as an adult retraining my brain to think correctly.

I now see it as my personal life mission to encourage others. I truly believe that the only thing stopping each one of us from achievement is ourselves.  If you are willing to work hard and seize whatever opportunities are given to you, there is no reason that you won’t succeed in accomplishing God’s plan for your life.  As Paul says in Romans 8:31, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

This week, consider whether you have the right mindset to achieve your goals. Stop listening to people who tell you what you can’t do.  They don’t know what they are talking about.  Decide to prove them wrong.  Decide instead to listen to God.  God has a plan for how you will be a blessing on this earth.  He has planted dreams in your heart to show you what that plan is.  Your only job is to do everything you can to fulfill that plan.