Issue 00012 - I Think You Can
Welcome to 5 Bites – The BLTnT Newsletter!
Intro
We all know The Little Engine That Could—“I think I can, I think I can.” But what about when we don’t think we can? That’s where the voices around us matter most. We need someone to say “I think you can”…and we need to trust their trust just enough to make the first move. That one move can change the entire trajectory of a life.
As Zig Ziglar put it: “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.”
And here’s the truth: when someone else has faith in me, I don’t want to let them down.
Their belief pushes me to rise.
And wasn’t Zig Ziglar the best!!!
1️⃣ Borrowed Belief
Sometimes we don’t have enough belief for ourselves—so we borrow it.
Once I was part of a support group, the woman leading it told me,
“You will get there. I know what the other side of this looks like. You don’t. So let me have faith for you.”
That gesture and those words stuck with me. Sometimes, the strongest gift someone can give is to hold the belief on our behalf until we’re ready to pick it up.
2️⃣ The First Push Up the Hill
Momentum begins when someone gives you the first push.
When I started at Auxiom, a friend (who was not even a friend at the time), Jerry Zaccardelli, LIC, took me under his wing. He heard about what we were trying to build and he only knew me through some other people then.
He sent a personal letter to each of his clients introducing me and vouching for me. He believed I, along with my company, would deliver before I even had proof.
That push got the train moving, and once it did, others came along for the ride.
3️⃣ Spotting the Blind Spots
Other people see things in us that we miss.
My original investor, Sandy Green, told me, “You tell me what business you want to be in. I’m investing in you—not the specific business.”
And more recently, Scott Schoenebergerhad faith in me to launch this very newsletter. He believed people would want to hear what I had to share. That faith became the spark that lit this whole thing.
(Speaking of Spark—that’s the name of Scott’s own newsletter. You should subscribe now. Here’s the Link.)
And guess what… someone believed in Scott too, one of those people was Josh Linknerwho encouraged him before he kicked this off and created his training and keynote!
So ask yourself: Who has faith in you? And are you listening to them?
4️⃣ Playa Gotta Play
Encouragement has limits. A coach or cheerleader can believe all day long, but they can’t want it more than the player.
I have a family member considering going into business. They’ve got someone (me) in their corner with faith in them, but it’s ultimately on them to move off center.
You can’t score points unless you admit you’re on the field.
At the end of the day, playa gotta play. My hope is that my faith in them will work—but the decision, and the action, is theirs.
5️⃣ Faith Is Contagious
Belief isn’t just something we borrow — it’s something we can catch.
My spiritual journey has been significantly strengthened because of a group of men I meet with every week. I get faith from them.
And… I wouldn’t have found that group had I not been invited by Ken Osiwala to his Son Rise Surfsession originally. He invites a group of guys to wake surf early on Saturday mornings where they have some fun, eat, pray, and talk.
Watching how Ken lives his life, and shares his faith, I decided: I’m going to let him have some faith for me.That was a nudge I needed.
Faith is contagious. Get around people who believe in something bigger than themselves, and you’ll find it starts to rub off.
Bonus Wisdom
Faith is like a flame — it spreads. You can borrow it, carry it, and pass it on. And if you’re not careful, you’ll catch it too. 🔥
Wrap-Up
So this week’s reflection is simple: Who believes in you? Who are you letting hold the faith or belief when you don’t see it yourself? And whose life might you change by not only believing in them, but also telling them: “I think you can”?
Heck, go ahead and sound like the Little Engine that Believes… I think you can, I think you can… chooo chooo… and get the steam going!!!
Remember… Conviction without ongoing curiosity is just noise!
Until next time,
Excelsior!
Thank you to our sponsor 🛡️ Auxiom 🙌
This edition was proudly sponsored by Auxiom.
Outsmart Chaos with the Gold Standard in Business IT.
Auxiom knows that for every one problem that gets solved in the world of IT, there always seems to be several more threats.
They work to stay ahead of them all with a smarter, more proactive approach.
If you have a business, you may need the A-Team at Auxiom!
Visit Auxiom at https://auxiom.com/ or call them at 1-800-837-GOLD (4653)
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