The other day, my son and I were walking to a basketball game when we passed the university’s football stadium. I asked him, “Do you think you will get to play there someday?”
Without hesitation, he said, “I know I will.”
There was no doubt in his voice. No hesitation. Just conviction.
Hearing that level of confidence from my son is inspiring. When we’re young, we believe anything is possible. But as we get older, life wears us down. Rejection, failure, and self-doubt creep in. That unwavering belief we once had starts to fade.
But confidence isn’t something you’re born with or without. It’s something you build. And it starts with keeping the promises you make to yourself.
The First Promise of the Day
Every morning, you make your first promise to yourself when your alarm goes off.
If you hit snooze, you’re telling yourself that your word doesn’t matter. It might seem like a small thing, but it sets the tone for the rest of the day.
If you break that first promise, it becomes easier to skip a workout. It becomes easier to grab fast food instead of making a healthier choice. It becomes easier to keep delaying the person you were meant to be.
That’s how people stay stuck. Not because they don’t know what to do, but because they don’t follow through.
The Power of Mindset
My wife and I talk a lot with our kids about mindset. The words they use and how they see the world matter.
If you ask my son how he gets better at something, his answer is always the same. Practice.
He doesn’t overcomplicate it. He doesn’t question if he is good enough or if it’s possible. He just believes that putting in the work will get him where he wants to go.
I need that reminder too.
I want to live with the same conviction my son has about playing college football. Will he actually get to play there? I have no idea. But I would put my money on him because he believes he will.
That belief makes all the difference.
Stop Saying Maybe
Too many people approach fitness with a maybe mindset.
“Maybe I will work out tomorrow.”
“Maybe I will start eating better next week.”
“I’ll try.”
That kind of thinking keeps you stuck.
When you do what you say you’re going to do and actually keep the promises you make to yourself, you build confidence. And that confidence changes everything.
So ask yourself. What promise do you need to keep today?
Your future self is counting on you to follow through.