I have something very near and dear to my heart to share it with you today. When I tell you what it is, depending on your background and beliefs, you may have a different kind of reaction. You may get defensive and decide not to read the rest of this message. But I want to assure you, it’s not what you think…

You see, a lot of confusion and skepticism surround the topic of faith. Generally, faith is seen as some kind of “religious” thing, but the truth is, faith is simply placing confidence or trust in something. And we were all born with the gift of faith. Yes, you were born with the gift of faith!

Don’t believe me?

Faith is what caused you to put cookies and milk underneath the Christmas tree on December 24th. Think about it, you believed wholeheartedly in this man from the North Pole, who knew whether you were naughty or nice, and knew you wanted a skateboard or a doll or a bike or a puppy. It even caused you to change your behavior for the entire month of December – you didn’t pull your sister’s pigtails or trip your brother when he came running around the corner.

You believed Santa Claus was riding in a sleigh, with a red-nosed reindeer leading the way. You believed this giant man, with his giant bag of toys, was going to come down your chimney and leave gifts for you. You never stopped to consider the fact you didn’t even have a chimney. And even if you did, there’s no way a 300-pound man could fit through that little chimney! That was faith!

It’s what caused you to believe you could do anything, be anyone and go anywhere. It’s what made you believe your wildest dreams could – and would – come true.

Faith is not based on proof, and it needs no evidence. Faith actually changes your behavior and it sets you up for success. And believe it or not, it is impossible to succeed without faith.

But unfortunately, most people trade that gift of faith for security. Instead of believing they can do anything, and working in faith toward their goals, they settle for the “small” and easily attainable. Instead of pushing the limits and going further than they ever thought possible, they play it safe, choosing to not get their hopes up, to somehow diminish their chance of disappointment.

So, whether you have lost your gift of faith, or you are one of the few who has held onto it and strengthened it throughout your life, there are two things you need to understand about faith to get it working in your favor:

1. Faith is a choice. You must choose belief over doubt. Choose action over procrastination. You have to say no to excuses, no to fear and no to procrastination. You must weigh your fear against your future – which one weighs more? Which one is more important to you?
2. Faith requires action. When you make a decision and follow it with action, you will succeed. When you truly have faith, you carry yourself in a way that shows you have faith. You don’t sit and wait for proof, because faith needs no evidence. You work your warm market, call your leads, do presentations, work hard at your job and give 100% in everything you do, knowing you will see results. You have faith that when you consistently follow directions, you will succeed.

In order for your faith to grow, you must nourish it. You may have heard before, what you feed will flourish and what you neglect will die. It is so true!

So today, I want you to focus on things that build your faith. In fact, it’s a good idea to work this habit into your daily routine.

Celebrate your accomplishments and your victories. Whether they are big or small, they will build your faith! Write them down and keep track of them. In the times when you are down, or just need that extra push, this will serve as a reminder you are making improvements and what you’re doing is working.

Also, feed yourself testimonials. That’s what I do on a daily basis, and I encourage all of my clients to do the same. The successes of others will spur you on and encourage you. It will remind you that if they can do it, so can you. This not only builds faith in yourself but also your faith in what you’re doing… whether it’s a building a business, working toward a promotion in your career or raising a family.

I am obviously a big believer in building my faith – and yours. I look for ways I can feed my faith because I know what I focus on is what I will get more of. I’ve seen this one simple strategy work in amazing ways in my own life and I know it will work the same way for you.

I can’t wait to hear the stories of how you like to feed your faith. What encourages and inspires you? What deepens your belief in yourself, your business, your career or your family? Please share your thoughts with me at the bottom of this page. And as you share your comments, you will help build your own faith and the faith of those who read what you write.

The reality is, every person you and I know could use a faith-booster. There are so many hopeless people in this world, and we can make a huge difference in their lives by simply forwarding this message to them. So won’t you join me by impacting a few lives today?

In great faith,