I'm a big fan of personal development and working on my mindset. Entrepreneurs can get caught up in the conceive phase (using our imagination and innovation muscle) but we won't achieve “the thing” until we believe “the thing.” Napoleon Hill was on point!

I took an assessment several years ago called the StrengthFinders 2.0. It's an assessment tool that helps you understand what your top 5 core talents are and how to use them in your life. “Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this book will change the way you look at yourself – and the world around you – forever.”

I discovered that my number one strength was the Belief talent. At its core, it means that this talent drives people to use their belief system to drive their actions. Although I spent most of my career as an accounting professional, I loved technology SO much that when I was laid off in 2010 during the recession, I decided…conceived…that I could change my career, go back to school and finish my degree. Not in accounting, but in Information Technology with a concentration in Web Development. I achieved my goal in the Spring of 2017.

But first I had to believe I could do it.

Conceive It

You've got an idea. You can see what it can do for you or for others. Add in a little “crazy” to make it a mega-goal that would change the world. Think big and aim high!

Believe It

Once you focus in on that goal, the next step is to plan out how it will look when you arrive at the end of your journey. This plan will hep you believe it. But you also have to believe in your self…in your abilities to work that thing out!

This is also the step where you need to think about any obstacles that might get in your way. Thinking about and planning for these obstacles prepares you for moving right on past that obstacle so you can keep it moving!

Achieve It

Once you believe you have what it takes, the only thing left is to DO IT! When things get tough, go back to your idea and the big picture you painted in the Conceive stage. Then remind yourself how you became confident in reaching your goal in the Believe stage.

Now go ahead and do the damn thang!