Believe in Yourself

The Matrix is one of my favorite movies of all times. I was so fascinated the first time I watched this movie, especially by the principle behind the theory of what one could do if he entered into The Matrix. The Matrix is a world where only your faith, your belief is what puts a limit to what you can do. You could jump from one skyscraper to the other, if you could only believe that this is possible and within your reach. When you want to do such a thing in The Matrix, belief in yourself is very important. You have to believe with your whole heart that you can do it (not just think, like Neo did the first time, but BELIEVE), get rid of every atom of fear in you and then JUMP! Now one may argue that that is just a movie, that no one could ever do such a thing, at least not on this planet. Period! Well, actually, that person could be right.

Honestly, I myself can hardly find a reason why one would wake up in the morning and try to jump from one skyscraper to another. I would call that suicide. But, if you think about it for a moment, you will find that perhaps jumping off skyscrapers in the world of The Matrix has its analogy to something we do in our world. Let’s take, for example, some famous and successful people. Did you know that the most common thing among all famous and successful people is that they all have incredible belief in themselves? Actually, that is one thing that makes them different from other people. They believe in themselves so much that you can sense it when they talk, and you can see it when they walk; they believe they can do whatever they choose to do; they believe it was meant for them. It’s like they are simply super-talented, or maybe they just dropped from another planet of super humans! Well, I’ve got news for you: at one point or another, they too were just like any another person. But what happened?

In every human being, I believe, there is the potential to become someone great! But potential is just the ability; it’s like a passport or a visa. You might have a visa to go to France, or the USA, but you need to get out of your bed and buy a ticket, get to the airport and, after a long journey, finally get to your destination. Potential is your ability to become the next Bill Gates, but you first need to use it before you can think of getting to that level. In my childhood I was always thought to be brighter than other kids. I was always the first in class up to about the sixth grade. Before that, I used to study so hard, reading any story I could find. I just thought that is what made me the first in class. But then, when I was in the sixth grade, I heard a theory that some people are just born bright, while others are just born normal. It had nothing to do with reading or being a good boy; if you were bright, you were going to be the best forever. So I started relaxing and began to play around with other kids. Then soon I became addicted to playing: I even began to miss classes just so I could play a little bit longer. Lunch was not important to me any more, much less breakfast; I had more important things to do – play all day long. I am really surprised when I think about what I could do at such an age.

But time never waited for me, so neither did the tests at school. Apart from being almost the last pupil (that is I had one of the worst results in the whole school), I came home only to find out that my parents were told about all the days I missed classes. It was total hell for me that day, and the days that followed. But my mother always told me one thing: “the problem is not education, you are the one creating all those problems. If other kids can do it, that means it can be done, and you are smarter than them, do you understand? Now sit down and get to work.” That is one force of my life that can get me through any situation. You have to understand that we are not the first ones to live on this Earth, and if Sir Lomonosov did it, so can you.

This reminds me of a poem I came across on the Internet. It is a poem I have come to love and respect. I read it almost every time I am called to speak at a gathering. Edgar A. Guest wrote this poem. It talks about the fact that all people are given the same chance. They all have 24 hours in a day and they all have two hands, two legs, two eyes and also a brain. In this poem, the poet helps us to understand that you are the one responsible for whether or not you will succeed. You see, the greatest tools you can ever have on this earth is yourself and time. With those two things, you can become whatever you want. As I said earlier, the most important thing you can do when you want to achieve anything is to simply believe in yourself, believe that you can do it. By the way, though parents and friends can help you develop your inner confidence, you have to understand that no one can give it to you, and, when you have developed it, no one can take it away. You have to work on believing in yourself, you have to believe you were meant to be great. Work hard and play hard, but never stop believing in yourself. You will do wonders if you can only believe it’s possible. Don’t wait for someone to tell you that you are a bright person, just know that you are and do whatever you choose to do with confidence.

At this moment, I would like you to take a deep breath and read the poem below. Read it slowly so you can grasp every magic word it has.

EQUIPMENT (by Edgar A. Guest)
Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You’ve all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say, “I can.”
Look them over, the wise and great
They take their food from a common plate,
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces they tie their shoes.
The world considers them brave and smart,
But you’ve all they had when they made their start.
You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if you only will.
You’re well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.
You are the handicap you must face,
You are the one who must choose your place,
You must say where you want to go,
How much you will study the truth to know.
God has equipped you for life, but He
Lets you decide what you want to be.
Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win.
So figure it out for yourself, my lad.
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment they all began,
Get hold of yourself and say: “I can.”