“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech – Maryanne Williamson
That really is a profound quote. When it comes to life in general we all want to be successful, but it seems as most of us generally tend to sabotage our success. It’s not that we do not want to be successful, or that we deserve success… it is simply that we feel inadequate or unworthy of that success.
A speaker at our church recited this quote this weekend and I cannot believe I’d never heard the quote.
Or I should say, I cannot believe that I do not remember hearing the quote. Seeing how it came out of Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech I’m sure that I have in fact heard it before. But for some reason it stuck me this Sunday morning. It hit me hard and made me realize how true it actually is.
We all focus on and try to achieve success. But in the end, most of us never achieve the success that we are able to achieve. The reason being is because we do not have the mindset for that success. So the first step in getting anywhere in life is opening your mind for that success. Realizing that you are deserving of success and more importantly that you’re capable of success.
Like the quote says, we are made in the image of God. Therefore we are made to be great. It is the decisions and actions that we make that determine whether we ever achieve that greatness or not.
So, next time you feel like you are shrinking somebody because of the great things you are doing, realize that you are in fact helping them rise to the occasion, and you should let your light shine.
Talk soon,
Shannon Herod
