We All Start as Naked Babies. With Nothing.

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We all love rags-to-riches stories. Oprah Winfrey and J.K. Rowling are just two examples of the ⅔ of the billionaires on the Forbes list who are SELF-MADE. And yet, many of us subconsciously resent their success. They have. We don't.

If you've ever looked at someone successful and thought, "I'll bet there's family money behind that success" or "they were just at the right place at the right time", "(s)he has talent I don't have" or something to that effect, you are mentally throwing a monkey wrench into your own success.

How? Because you are attributing their success to EXTERNAL factors and in the process, you're giving away your personal power. No matter what life throws at us, we can choose to rise above or get swept under. That's what the uber-successful people do.

Want to empower yourself to think like a billionaire? Here's how:

1. No matter what a successful person has accomplished, we ALL start from nothing. We all start as helpless, naked babies with no education, no money, no skills, nothing we can call our own.

There was a time in every master's life when they knew absolutely nothing about their craft or business.
They all started from nothing.

But what do we all have when we're born? A mind. The ultimate manifesting tool.

You have the same inherent assets as the already-successful! Take mental inventory of your assets. You have a brain. You have imagination, intellect, intuition, creativity, desire, and your senses. Use that brain to acquire skills, knowledge, personal connections... whatever you need to get what you want!

And the person you're comparing yourself to started out with exactly those same assets too! Yes, we all create different "levels" of self-confidence and conditioned beliefs over time; we all have different levels of family support. But Oprah and JK Rowling didn't have any family money or privileged circumstances to support them. They MADE their success and so can you.

Each of us has the potential to change our way of thinking, to release self-limiting beliefs so we
can take advantage of opportunities and step out into the unknown.

Remind yourself that you have the same fundamental tools as anyone who is successful. It doesn't matter at where you are now. You have the ability to use your assets to get everything you desire, no matter your current circumstances.

2. Instead of thinking of the glass as half full or half empty, think of it as FULL. One half is full of water. That's obvious. The other half, though, is also full. It's full of air! Just because we can't see air, doesn't mean it's not there. "But what if I'm thirsty and I want to drink? I can't drink air!" Great point - which requires a shift in mindset.

Think of your glass as full; one half of your glass is full of what you have, and the other half is full of possibility: you can choose to fill it with anything you want. You can fill it with more water. Or juice. Or even whiskey! The point is, whether you think of your glass as half full or half empty instead of FULL, you are focusing on what is, not what can be. You're seeing what you have (or don't have), not what you CAN have.

So when you see a successful person, remind yourself that you both started with nothing. The only difference is that one of you has been looking at the glass as full ("what is and what can be"), and the other has been looking at it as half full or half empty ("what is"), depending on individual optimistic/pessimistic tendencies and conditioned beliefs. ONLY ONE of you has been looking at the possibility!

If you see "what can be" you'll achieve it!


3. Improve yourself. If you've ever read that it takes 10,000 hours to master a craft, THROW yourself into that. That's 416 days, 24/7. Which means in reality, a lot longer than that since you have to take time to eat and sleep, if nothing else. So get busy! Master your craft.

That is how you will use your assets and put your amazing tools to use. That is how you will improve and increase them, and use them to create something wonderful. That is how you will learn to nurture the seed of possibility of what you can accomplish.

If you hold fast to your dreams, the outcome is already fixed. You WILL achieve it. The question is how to get there, and the answer is up to you - and it comes to you thanks to your amazing mind, and how you use it: by learning from mistakes and failures, by expanding your horizons, by saying yes to challenges and opportunities, by openly seeking the right people, by pushing yourself to excel, by working on yourself to shift to a "can do" attitude and seeing what can be... and by NOT basing your decisions on what you don't have or don't know at this very moment.

Let's start the new year off... fresh as a baby!


Is "what is" going to stop you? Don't live out your history, live out your desires!
#babies #mind #naked #start
  • Profile picture of the author Magnet4Marketing
    Jarmila, what an awesome post and just what I needed to help me find my mojo in 2013, especially when setbacks takes it's toll. I love point number 2 about the glass being half full, and the other full of possibilities, I never thought of it that way. Thanks again and all the best for the new year.
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  • Profile picture of the author Odahh
    i don't care much for the half full half empty debate .. normal thinking people get annoyed with me if i don't fill a glass to the brim..

    for me ..what it matter if there is always more to pour ..
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    • Profile picture of the author spruchni
      Exactly what I needed to hear for 2013.
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      • Profile picture of the author zannix
        Some naked babies have $1billion networth, other's dont
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        • Profile picture of the author Mikeyrooney
          Originally Posted by zannix View Post

          Some naked babies have $1billion networth, other's dont
          Yes!!! I sometimes wish I was one of them but I guess I wouldn't become the type of person worthy of that amount of money without doing it myself.. I mean in the pursuit of mega success, one of the most important things to me is the person I have to become to get to the mega success!!! These success lessons I learn and discover can then be passed down to my little baby boy who just arrived recently to help him through his life!!!

          Thanks for the inspirational post Jarmila!
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        • Profile picture of the author Jarmila
          Originally Posted by zannix View Post

          Some naked babies have $1billion networth, other's dont
          And how many end up in rehab or worse? Being born into wealth guarantees absolutely nothing.
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  • Profile picture of the author DJL
    And most of us will depart this world in similar condition: "sans teeth, sans hair, sans everything."
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    None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
    --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Elective Affinities (1809)

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  • Profile picture of the author Greg guitar
    I applaud the good intentions behind your post, but you have wildly overstated the case. It isn't an either/or between the idea of "self made" and "lucky bast**d"; the truth is life is an incredibly complex tapestry of influences and events that we each have varying levels of control (from total, to none) over.

    It is extremely misleading to imply that because babies are naked and helpless, it means we all start from the same place. Obviously Paris Hilton isn't rich simply because she worked harder than the other helpless babies that are now struggling adults.

    All we can do is the best we can with the cards we were dealt; the most empowering attitude is gratitude for what you have, and a total commitment to overcome any obstacles. But let's not pretend the obstacles and chances of success are the same whether you have nothing in your original hand or a royal flush. Babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome and no responsible role models, or even someone capable of feeding them regularly, are not on an even footing with a Gate, Trump or Hilton "helpless, naked baby".
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    • Profile picture of the author Jarmila
      Originally Posted by Greg guitar View Post

      I applaud the good intentions behind your post, but you have wildly overstated the case. It isn't an either/or between the idea of "self made" and "lucky bast**d"; the truth is life is an incredibly complex tapestry of influences and events that we each have varying levels of control (from total, to none) over.

      It is extremely misleading to imply that because babies are naked and helpless, it means we all start from the same place. Obviously Paris Hilton isn't rich simply because she worked harder than the other helpless babies that are now struggling adults.

      All we can do is the best we can with the cards we were dealt; the most empowering attitude is gratitude for what you have, and a total commitment to overcome any obstacles. But let's not pretend the obstacles and chances of success are the same whether you have nothing in your original hand or a royal flush. Babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome and no responsible role models, or even someone capable of feeding them regularly, are not on an even footing with a Gate, Trump or Hilton "helpless, naked baby".
      Agreed! I've had my share of amazing successes and terrifying struggles - and I come from a middle class family. I don't consider Paris Hilton a success. She is RICH, but to me, she is not a SUCCESS. I do not respect her and her stupid made-for-TV escapades. To my knowledge, she has created nothing worthwhile with all of her money. I don't follow celebrity gossip but I have no idea what she has contributed to the world, yet she certainly has the potential to do some great things with her riches!

      On the other hand, there are people who have made a tremendous impact and meaningful contribution to the world, like Oprah, who started with nothing and made herself a billionaire and in the process helped so many people improve their lives.

      My personal definition of 'success' is making a contribution, whether large or small doesn't matter and the level of compensation for that contribution is measured in personal terms (what's a fortune for one barely pays for dinner for another).

      Of course I agree that crack babies or babies born with FAS are at a severe disadvantage and that it's not 'either/or'; and life can throw us many curve balls; my point with the post is to point out that we have potential, and if there's enough desire to succeed - whatever success means to the individual - the way can be found. Like you said, "...gratitude for what you have, and a total commitment to overcome any obstacles." My point exactly :-)
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      ** 7 Minute Meditation: Activate Whole Brain (Genius) Thinking, Melt away years of Stress & Anxiety, Eliminate Limiting Beliefs, Instant Creativity, Effortless Learning & so much more.. Treat yourself to a FREE TRIAL **

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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Good post, Jarmila, very well thought out. I hope you'll see what I have to say as adding to your words rather than taking away from them.

    While we may all start the same, by the time we're old enough to go to school we're very different. Many of our beliefs are already programmed into us, mostly by our parents and siblings.

    Before a person reaches the age of reason they may have heard their parents tell them a thousand times:

    - Money is the root of all evil (without the "love of" part)
    - Money doesn't grow on trees
    - We're not made of money

    ...or one of dozens of other negative thoughts about money. Heard enough times, at an impressionable age, and those thoughts can form the bedrock of a persons beliefs about money. Our subconscious mind will keep us true to our beliefs, so the negative belief becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy -- if a persons underlying belief is that money is scarce, then money will be scarce for that person.

    And that's just one self-limiting belief. There are many, many other beliefs we can be programmed with before we're old enough to reason that can hold us back.

    It's those underlying beliefs, hidden from the conscious mind, that limit what people can accomplish -- until they are reprogrammed. Unfortunately, too many people aren't interested in self-development so they go through their life frustrated by their inability to achieve at a high level.

    Finally comes resignation. They accept their "lot in life" as what they are destined for, or they rebel against themselves or life in some way (drugs, alcohol, crime, etc.).

    Everyone gets some bad programming, but it can always be overcome. Too bad more people don't take their personal evolution more seriously.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jarmila
      Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

      Good post, Jarmila, very well thought out. I hope you'll see what I have to say as adding to your words rather than taking away from them.

      While we may all start the same, by the time we're old enough to go to school we're very different. Many of our beliefs are already programmed into us, mostly by our parents and siblings.

      Before a person reaches the age of reason they may have heard their parents tell them a thousand times:

      - Money is the root of all evil (without the "love of" part)
      - Money doesn't grow on trees
      - We're not made of money

      ...or one of dozens of other negative thoughts about money. Heard enough times, at an impressionable age, and those thoughts can form the bedrock of a persons beliefs about money. Our subconscious mind will keep us true to our beliefs, so the negative belief becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy -- if a persons underlying belief is that money is scarce, then money will be scarce for that person.

      And that's just one self-limiting belief. There are many, many other beliefs we can be programmed with before we're old enough to reason that can hold us back.

      It's those underlying beliefs, hidden from the conscious mind, that limit what people can accomplish -- until they are reprogrammed. Unfortunately, too many people aren't interested in self-development so they go through their life frustrated by their inability to achieve at a high level.

      Finally comes resignation. They accept their "lot in life" as what they are destined for, or they rebel against themselves or life in some way (drugs, alcohol, crime, etc.).

      Everyone gets some bad programming, but it can always be overcome. Too bad more people don't take their personal evolution more seriously.
      Great response, Dennis, thanks. I agree that subconscious programming can put a serious damper on an individual's potential! I've struggled with that myself. When I read Suze Orman's "The Courage to Be Rich" I realized that my parents always talked about not having enough money and those statements were programmed into my very being... no wonder I always had a problem with asking for fair compensation for my work! It took time and a helluva lot of hard self-work to get that out of my head. It's still a work in progress, but I'm seeing big results these days as I continue to play with my creative abilities. Fun times!

      I didn't take personal development seriously until I was in my 40s. Better late than never - and because I struggled so much, I'm committed to helping anyone who has not discovered that they can turn their lives around, that their fortunes are not carved in stone and they don't have to resign.
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      Jarmila -- Self-development Coach at the Brainwave Research Institute
      ** 7 Minute Meditation: Activate Whole Brain (Genius) Thinking, Melt away years of Stress & Anxiety, Eliminate Limiting Beliefs, Instant Creativity, Effortless Learning & so much more.. Treat yourself to a FREE TRIAL **

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  • Profile picture of the author kellyyarnsbro
    Nice success stories you have here, nice share. Though some are born millionaires/billionaires already. They/Their ancestors also have started with ZERO's, they start from scratch also.
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  • Profile picture of the author internetmarketer1
    PERFECT! PERFECT! Simply just a perfect article that must be a part of the main threads! Definitely a thread that anybody, and I mean anybody, can read to develop their craft in anything they set out to do. Whether you want to be a dancer, singer, athlete, or an IM Guru, this thread is a MUST READ! Happy New Year
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    • Profile picture of the author deji yusuf
      i must confess this is a very inspirational post....you see most of us are naturally lazy..may God help us!
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      • Profile picture of the author Jarmila
        Originally Posted by deji yusuf View Post

        i must confess this is a very inspirational post....you see most of us are naturally lazy..may God help us!
        We are lazy, aren't we? The ultimate pleasure-seeking organisms. That's why, if we equate success with pleasure, we're more likely to want it.
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        Jarmila -- Self-development Coach at the Brainwave Research Institute
        ** 7 Minute Meditation: Activate Whole Brain (Genius) Thinking, Melt away years of Stress & Anxiety, Eliminate Limiting Beliefs, Instant Creativity, Effortless Learning & so much more.. Treat yourself to a FREE TRIAL **

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  • Profile picture of the author Jarmila
    By the way, THANK YOU everyone for your comments. I love this process!
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    Jarmila -- Self-development Coach at the Brainwave Research Institute
    ** 7 Minute Meditation: Activate Whole Brain (Genius) Thinking, Melt away years of Stress & Anxiety, Eliminate Limiting Beliefs, Instant Creativity, Effortless Learning & so much more.. Treat yourself to a FREE TRIAL **

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  • Profile picture of the author eternalsongbird
    Yes, that's definitely true. We have come naked and also go naked. The gorgeous dresses will not have any value.
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