What is the prerequisite for success?

Hard work? Dedication?  Commitment? Or Perseverance?

It is all of them. But not everyone is able to do hard work, not everyone is able to dedicate himself or show perseverance. That means there is something else that drives hard work or that makes you persistent.

It is your belief system. Your mental pattern. Something embedded at the back of your mind. Yes, this is the driving force behind every effort you make. You don’t lead your life. Your patterns are leading your life. You do not take decisions but your patterns are influencing your decision.

Consider some real-life examples. Tribal women in Africa pierce their bodies with bamboo sticks. They do it without any medical aid and without any anesthesia. They do it happily because they believe that their Lord is getting pleased by this act. You may have seen many people who walk on burning coal during certain religious ceremonies. They do it happily because they believe they are getting purified and their god is getting pleased. No pain is felt by them because there is a belief in their mind. Muslims around the world remain without food and water for 16-18 hours for a complete month irrespective of weather conditions. They do it happily and without pain because they believe their God is getting pleased.

The real source of motivation is your Belief System. Your mental pattern can make you do anything. Yes, you can do anything if you have a strong belief system within yourself. The stronger the belief system, the stronger is your personality.

When I think of this belief system that resides in our minds, the best example I can imagine is Arunima Sinha. She is the world’s first female amputee to scale Mount Everest and many other peaks of the world.

Let’s look at her life. She was a volleyball player. One night when she was traveling on a train from her hometown to Delhi, she faced a life-changing accident. She was encountered by some hooligans on the train who wanted to snatch her gold chain and bag. She resisted but they overcame her and pushed her out of the fast-running train. She fell on the railway track. There was another train coming from the opposite direction. She tried to get up and save herself but was unable to move due to severe injuries. The train from the other side ran over her leg below the knee. She went unconscious and lay on the railway track the whole night. One after another trains were passing from her right and left. The worms were licking her wound. The mice were eating her skin and bones. In the morning when she was spotted by the people, they rushed her to the hospital from where she was shifted to Delhi for treatment. In the hospital, doctors amputated her leg to save her life. It was no less than a miracle that she was still alive.

While still being treated in the hospital she said, “O God if you have saved me despite all this, you must have saved me to do something very special, you want me to write history, now I will climb Mount Everest”. She resolved to climb Mount Everest. After being discharged from the hospital she contacted Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest. When Bachendri Pal saw her condition and the resolve in her eyes she said “My child you decided to climb Mount Everest in this condition with a Prosthetic (Artificial) leg. You have already climbed Mount Everest. Now just the date is remaining to the world to know”

Sinha reached the summit of Mount Everest on 21 May 2013. She faced the accident in April 2011 and reached the summit in May 2013. This was not the power of her body. It was the power of her mind. It was the power of her belief system. She didn’t stop there. She has already scaled seven peaks until 2014. All the highest peaks in each continent. Like Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Mount Elbrus (Russia), Mount Kosciusko (Australia), Mount Aconcagua (South America), Mount Denali (North America), and Mount Vinson.

The mind is a powerful force. It can enslave us or empower us. It can plunge us into the depths of misery or take us to the heights of ecstasy. Learn to use the power wisely.