Last year I had the privilege to traverse across Zion National Park. This route is right around 50 miles if you include the 2 mile out and back to edge of Angel’s Landing. What trip in Zion is complete without a trip to the tip of this epic landmark? So I accomplished this traverse in just over 20 hours from start to finish. By no means a record setting pace, but a completed 50 mile adventure in under a day’s worth of time. Three weeks prior to my traverse across Zion I was a little concerned that I would be able to finish this so I set out to do a 31 mile run along the foothills of the southern Wasatch. After completing the 31 miles and then tapering off I was confident come run day that I could complete it. I knew in my mind that my body was capable and I would be able to complete the Traverse.

“No one get’s to the corner office by sitting on the side not at the table. And no one gets the promotion they don’t think they deserve their success or they don’t understand their own success…. Own your own success.” Sheryl Sandberg Facebook COO

If you don’t feel that you deserve to succeed then you won’t. Confidence was key for me in accomplishing my first 50 mile run. I remember hiking 50 miles in an entire week in high school and thinking how big that accomplishment was. Well, now that I have done it in a day it seems surreal. Anytime that I have gone in with half an effort to anything in my life then I typically don’t succeed unless my mindset changes. However, when I go in full well knowing that I will accomplish what I have set out to do, well, then I usually do.

As I started Altra I knew that I would find us a way to manufacture shoes. I knew that we would be able to build a viable product and a stable brand. I knew that we would find funding. We had confidence that we deserved success and we would get it and we did!

In life we are met with so many obstacles and individuals that make us question our ability to succeed. It almost seems as though the world is seeking our demise or failure, but if you look beyond the world to the universe you will see this ability to succeed lies in store for you. As we put forth the energy and confidence of success and the potential successes that are there for us then we will experience a greater degree of success for ourselves, but we MUST believe in ourselves! If you walk into a job interview or a funding pitch or sales meeting feeling that you will botch it then why even walk in? You must walk in with the belief that you will get the job or the deal or the sale. You deserve it!

“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” Buddha

Find the strength to overcome all of the feelings and pains that are pulling you down. You are built to succeed. You have the talents to rise up and make successful whatever it is that you desire to do.

Go forth and create success!