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On many occasions, it’s not just other people that hold us back with negative comments. More often than not it’s our own inner critic that is to blame.

How often have you set out full of optimism to accomplish something only to be defeated by self talk before you have barely begun?

It’s not only writers and artists that experience the deadly inner critic that whispers deadly criticisms into their ears. It happens to us all at times.

There are many reasons for this. Sometimes it could be the accumulated result of years of inner doubts and insecurities. It’s possible that you didn’t quite make the grade you’d hoped for at school, a sibling may have always outshone you, or perhaps you were even overshadowed by your best friend.

As a result, you probably found yourself saying that you weren’t good enough, smart enough, lucky enough. Little did you know it, but you were allowing your inner critic to reinforce the negative opinion of yourself.

Well don’t you think you’ve had enough of being put down and pushed around by now? Isn’t it time to take a stand and tell your self critic to get lost? You are in charge, You are in control of your life. Never mind what has, or has not happened in the past. The past doesn’t equal the future, and you have every right to succeed.

When things are tough and you’ve come up against yet another hurdle, it’s hard to find the will to keep going. At this point, many people are tempted to throw up their hands in despair and walk away.

Yet more often than not, success and its reward could be found waiting just around the next corner. That one extra effort could be all that is needed.

Throughout history there are stories galore of people who have carried on fighting and found success, despite suffering many defeats.

The most famous of these was perhaps King Bruce of Scotland. His army had suffered six major defeats in battles against the English.

The legend tells of how after the sixth defeat, King Bruce lay vanquished and forlorn in a cave. Cold, miserable and dejected he was on the verge of accepting his final defeat.

At this point, he noticed a wee spider trying to spin its web. He watched as the spider tried in vain to throw it’s fine gossamer thread from one rock to another. Six times the little spider tried without success.

King Bruce smiled ruefully, yes he too had met with defeat six times. But then, on the seventh attempt, the spider succeeded in safely anchoring its thread to the rock.

Watching with amazement, Bruce declared that if a little wee spider could succeed after six defeats, then so could he.

Well now, surely if a little spider can do it, so can you.. Never say never.