I’m in the middle of a debate online about whether or not there are stages in a certain process. The debate itself isn’t important — what’s important is that the gentleman I’m debating with is convinced that stages DO NOT EXIST in this particular process.

They clearly do; you can point to different parts of the process and say it is or is not in this or that stage (the boundaries are fluid but the stages are identifiable.)

The human brain is a wonderful and powerful tool, and it will believe ANYTHING we tell it. If we tell our brain that the monster under our bed doesn’t exist, it doesn’t.

The flip side of this, however, is just as powerful but REALLY unsettling: If we tell our brain (even without realizing we’re telling it so) that we can’t be successful, guess what?

We FAIL.

I have talked to countless people who tell me that there’s no way they can change their lives; there’s no way that they could do what others are clearly doing; no way to become anything other than what they already are.

If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right. — Henry Ford

Think positive thoughts today. Just try it for a day — see what happens.

And stop ignoring success.

Work is work, right, and we shouldn’t have fun with it? Whoever may have told you this (and perhaps no one in particular; it’s pretty much accepted as Conventional Wisdom) was LYING TO YOU.

”To find joy in work is to discover the fountain of youth.” –Pearl S. Buck

If you truly enjoy what it is that you get paid for doing, it’s not really fair to call it “work.” I, for one, absolutely enjoy what I do. I get to help people remove their roadblocks and find the joy in their work; sometimes I even get to help people transition from doing something they loathe to doing something that brings them joy and a sense of purpose. Sharing with someone the exhilaration of capturing the new joy to be found in a new line of work is something that cannot be beat! I have done this at least twice so far, and I hope to be able to do it again many more times in the future.

”Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.” –James M. Barrie

If you aren’t enjoying your work, ask yourself this: “What would I rather be doing all day?” Sometimes, yes, we find ourselves entrenched in what seems like a dead-end career. But if you’re creative enough, you can find ways to stay in the same field yet fill your days with a sense of purpose. For example, I once knew a lady who was a Realtor. She was good, and had been a top salesperson for several years. However, the sense of joy had just left her — she was still making good money, and still helping people buy and sell houses, but that spark of joy and happiness was just gone.

We consulted, and, to make a long story short, I helped her realize that she could transfer her sales and people skills to a nonprofit agency where she could truly make a difference in the lives of people that really needed change.

Now she wakes up each morning energized and ready to face the day, rather than dreading going to another busy yet unfulfilling open house.

What legacy do you want to leave behind? Do you want to be known for helping those in need, or leave your mark on your industry as a pioneer, or something even more amazing? Take stock of your likes and passions, and match those up with your skills and talents, and you can truly make a differnce in the world.

After all, if you’re having fun doing what you’re doing, you’ll do it so much better. Who knows what you could really accomplish?