If you depend on someone else to make you happy, you may find yourself sitting in a pool of disappointment. Happiness is an “inside” job. If you want to attract joy into your life, you have to start by loving yourself. Happiness doesn’t come from the outside, it comes from within.

Today’s midday motivation is inspired by a conversation I had with my son. He was telling me about an art contest he was entering and said he was sure he would win because the other entries were bad. I explained to him that success shouldn’t be based on the shortcomings of others but the hard work YOU put in to be your best.

It’s so easy to focus on the discrepancies of others instead of pushing beyond our own potential, but this is a must if you want to sustain your success. Blowing out someone else’s candle won’t make yours shine brighter. Work hard to achieve your goal, not for others, but for yourself.

The longer you wait, the less likely things will get done. You can always find an excuse for why something can’t get done, but you’ll only push yourself farther away from your goal. Whether it’s losing weight, going back to school, or just making overall improvements in your personal life, don’t wait. Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin.

No one likes to be judged, including you and me. If you’ve ever had someone make assumptions about you, I’m sure you can understand how frustrating it is. This is why we shouldn’t be quick to judge others. A person’s actions are often based on their life experiences. So, if you are trying to get someone to accept your point of view, you should try to understand theirs first.

When you apply understanding, you build more productive relationships. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

The thoughts you dwell on the most eventually turn into your reality. Don’t worry about the wall in front of you, focus on how you’re gonna knock it down. Remember, a mountain may stand between you are your dream, but it will also give you its back to climb. The only limitations that exist are in your mind, so always think about a positive outcome!

Fear will always stand in the way of your success. Its like a wall between you and your dreams. Sometimes, we naturally “plan for the worst” because we’re too focused on past failures instead of the things we have succeeded at. However, if you want your dream to become a reality, you cannot let fear overwhelm you. Instead, be bold, give your attention to a positive outcome and NEVER let you fears grow bigger than your faith.

When people purposely do and say hurtful things to you, their goal is to bring out the worst in you. You have a choice to respond with anger or respond with patience. Be the bigger person, don’t let someone else’s negativity compromise your character.

From bad jobs to bad relationships, everything and everyone you experience in life is there to teach you a lesson. Every circumstance has the potential to make you a better person. So, instead of being bitter about time lost, try to acknowledge the lesson learned and use the experience wisely.