It’s the Success Part that’s Scary

Charlene Norman
3 min readAug 5, 2024

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It’s my birthday today. I thought I’d do something different: share something I only share with my absolute best clients.

I KNOW I can accomplish much more than I have so far. What is holding me back is the thought that I CAN NOT. How can I get rid of that thought?”

I hear this question from people you would swear are massively successful. They are wealthy beyond measure, in loving relationships with family and friends, clients who adore them, and employees who’ve got their backs. And yet, this is genuinely how they feel! I so relate because I felt the same way for far too long.

We are relentlessly taught that we can do anything if we set our minds to it. There are many inspirational stories of people who overcame tremendous odds to achieve the goals that they set for themselves. They did it. So, you can, too.

If you fail, then you are not trying hard enough, or you need to use more skillful means.

Naturally, you MUST get rid of your shitty/negative/depressing thoughts and beliefs. KILL that nagging voice inside of you that tells you you are not good enough and don’t have what it takes to reach your goal.

The fundamental thing that you, I, and all humans suffer from is the belief that we don’t deserve the success that we have achieved. We believe that we are frauds and that someone will discover this and expose us.

Plain and simple.

We are afraid of the success that we’ve already achieved. And scared we’ll never achieve something close to it again. Yikes!

The best antidote I know is to acknowledge that whatever I have achieved, I haven’t done it alone. The truth is, I’ve NEVER done anything all by myself. Whatever I have accomplished is because I allowed a force — call it whatever you like — source, god, the universe to do it through me. I was merely an instrument.

Acknowledging THAT little factoid takes all the pressure off me to ‘do it again’ and puts the pressure on that force. As in thy will be done THROUGH me.

Although not nearly as successful, I use the same method to deal with my thoughts that I am ‘not good enough’ and ‘do not have what it takes’ to accomplish my goals. Honestly, this takes me a little longer to wrap my head around because (I think) of all the pressure imposed on us to study more, know more, and be more intelligent in yet another lane.

All this to say, getting rid of those niggly thoughts is not a one-and-done, overnight job. It takes as long as it takes.

Start here. Acknowledge that you cannot do it — whatever IT is — by yourself. Admit you are in partnership with that same force, and in that partnership, all things are possible.

I am not asking you to take on a religious thing here. I am asking you to recognize that you and I are tiny extensions of the Universe, of life force, of the divine. That while free will is always ours, our best work is done as part of that partnership.

Can you get to the space where you are viscerally embedded in the knowledge that the universe is acting through you for some purpose that is for the benefit of all?

Yes, you can. This is the rest-of-your-life journey. That more of us are having.

And the simple act of BEGINNING that journey will start dissolving those very limiting thoughts you have.

I promise!

Today, I wish for sunshine and rainbows and love and affection. May you enjoy a little of each as I celebrate another trip around the sun.

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Charlene Norman

Inspiring good humans to make a difference for all on Planet Earth. Podcast host, author, and community leader. Fanatical about change for the highest good.