When I was in the first grade, our teacher read to us the children's literature classic The Little Engine That Could. And thus began my introduction to the power of belief and of affirmations. “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can,” resonates with me still today. We all have moments in our lives like that of the little engine, where we are put into a situation that’s out of our comfort zone, a little more than we’ve done before. And, how we think determines the outcome most of the time.

Affirmations can be very powerful. Whether you believe in the Law of Attraction or the teachings of The Secret or have your own personal preacher, guru, guide, life coach or therapist, you can still use affirmations to help you succeed. Here’s how:

Affirmations are a way of changing your way of thinking, and it is almost always our way of thinking that holds us back. Almost. . . just as soon as I give you a concrete always example, you’ll find an exception.

For instance, I’ll probably never be on an Olympic gymnastics team, no matter how hard I try or how much I affirm the possibility to myself. Maybe it’s because I don’t believe I can, but more likely it’s because it just ain’t gonna happen. I’m four times the average age of an Olympic gymnast, my left foot probably outweighs most of them, and I’ve never done a decent backbend in my life. Which doesn’t mean I can’t turn cartwheels as much as I like, I just won’t be bringing home any medals for it. But, I’m okay with that.

So, hitch your wagons to a star, and reach for the sky, but don’t jump out of a plane without a parachute, either.

Take a look at the people around you and I’m sure you will see that many of them blame their lack of success on “the system” or their circumstances. Or, they think they are not smart enough or lucky enough or whatever. They hate their job and never get a break. Their relationships stink. Life is a drag. Woe is them.

Or, perhaps you know someone or several people who believe they can do anything they set their mind to. Within reason, or sadly, in some instances, without.

In both cases, the fundamental beliefs that these people have about themselves help determine their success, or lack thereof. If you think you are athletic, you are probably athletic. If you think you are smart, you probably are smart. If you think you will “always” be poor or overweight or unhappy, well, you probably are right.

But, history teaches us over and over again that people can overcome their circumstances, their backgrounds, and yes, even their own self-limiting beliefs. You can be one of those people who become a before/after story. You can personally change your life starting now.

We will work with affirmations for business success, but you can use affirmations equally well in other areas. For your business affirmations, pick a few of the below statements to affirm for yourself, or feel free to write your own.

--I am very successful at my work.
--My business is growing every day.
--I am well-paid for the value I bring to the world.
--I am financially successful.
--My business brings me happiness and wealth.
--I am debt-free.
--I make wise financial decisions.
--I make smart business decisions.
--I reach my business goals.
--I am experiencing unlimited success.
--My net worth is increasing every day.
--My business enables me to live the life I love.
--My work is fulfilling and satisfying.
--I am enjoying the growth and success of my company.

Then, write them down and post them on your fridge, your bathroom mirror, in your car, in your purse or briefcase, in your wallet. Make sure they are placed where you can see them every day. And, keep a notebook where you can write them down everyday.

Always use the present tense, or “I am. . .” If you say “I will. . .” then your goals could be a long time in showing up!

Visualize yourself actually having, doing or being what you are affirming. “If you can see it, and you can believe it, you can achieve it.” (I don’t know who said that, but I know I didn’t make it up.)

I first learned this technique when I played basketball in junior high. My coach would tell us to visualize the game, to see ourselves playing well, making shots, stealing the ball, winning the game. Hey, we were champions. And, you can’t argue with success!

So, try this for a month. You can make your affirmations as specific as you want, for instance, “I am selling ten per cent more this January than I did last January.”

And, don’t tell me it doesn’t work when you only sell 9% more, either!

One of my most-favorite sources for affirming and visualization is Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life (Gawain, Shakti). I used her treasure map technique to get a job once and was amazed at how well & quickly it worked. To try it for yourself, read this article which will show you my adaptation of creating a treasure map.

Have a Great 2008!