What the hell are you waiting for?

"You have nothing to fear but fear itself."

We repeat these words often times when we need encouragement to do something we know we should be doing.  Yet, do we really believe them?  How often do we allow the perils of self-doubt and the voices of naysayers creep into our psyche?  We can't get over the fear of success.  Or maybe, just maybe, we are addicted, not to failure, but to judging anyone and everyone - most of all, ourselves.

"You are your own worst critic."

You know these mantras.  Right?  We've heard our teachers tell us.  Our mothers taught them to us.  We know them by heart, but never do we actually practice what we mantra.   If we could learn to trust our abilities and do what we know we can do, think of the potential achievements within our grasp.

"You can do anything you put your mind to."

You have the right to obtain your dream.  What is holding you back?  The answer is never easy and it's always YOU are holding you back.  If you don't make the decision to actually do it, then you will never be able to do anything.  "But what about the person who makes the decisions about this and that?" you say?  Excuses!  I say.

"You are the master of your destiny."

"When a door closes, look for an open window."

If you cannot find an open window, build your own house and open all the doors and windows.  Don't wait for someone else to include you in their dream.  That's their dream and guess what - it's never included you prior to this moment.  Has your dreams included that person?  Let it go and start creating your own opportunities.  There is no use sitting here whining about not doing anything.  You're not doing anything because you're not doing anything.  No one to blame but yourself.  As a teacher once told me, "When you point a finger at someone, turn your hand over and realize you have many more fingers pointing right back at you."

"Be the change you want to see in the world."  ~ Ghandi

Stop your addiction of judging everyone (including yourself).  Just get out there and do SOMEthing, anything.  As long as you are creating your dream, no one can take that away from you.  We were never guaranteed tomorrow and we are not guaranteed success.  You must work hard to obtain it.  Nothing says it will be cookie cutter perfectly as you envisioned it based on the way the world was 20 years ago.  Technology and society are constantly evolving.  Your picture of a successfully realized dream career should be as well.

"All you need is faith, trust, and just a little bit of pixy dust."  ~ Walt Disney

There is no one holding you back except yourself.  Give yourself permission to be more than just a waiter or secretary.  Those are temporary solutions to ensure you have rent paid.  Tell everyone you are a performer.  Say you are a writer.  Believe in yourself enough to present yourself as, not a customer service agent, but as a comedian with a captive audience of one distressed audience member per routine.  You are You, Inc and you simply need to believe as much.

"We are limited only by the confines of our minds."

When you think about the many ways you have been holding yourself back, don't be discouraged.  Simply make the choice to never play the victim again.  The dream murderer in your personal drama has been and always will be you.  When you see the way to obtain your dreams, go boldly forward and never let fear get in your way.  As my voice teacher always told me:

"Less than tremendous is not enough."  ~ Linnie Garner-Mower

Tremendous thought.  Tremendous energy.  Tremendous imagination.  Tremendous passion.  Tremendous commitment.  Tremendous effort.  Tremendous dedication.  Tremendous heart.

If you don't try your best, don't give 110%, don't have tremendous passion, and don't put your whole heart into what you are doing, then why the hell are you doing it?  You will never be successful nor happy.

"Life is not a spectator sport."

Happiness is a choice.  So is being miserable.  We make that choice every second of every day.

"You are what you do, not what you say you'll do."  ~ C.G. Jung

So.....What the hell are you waiting for?