A question I get asked frequently is, "Do I have to be a positive person to have a great life, to make a lot of money, to have the kind of lifestyle that I want?" The answer is, "No."

There are many negative people out there who do well, BUT they're usually not very happy. Happiness for many of them isn't necessarily their goal. To have a great lifestyle you don't have to be the happiest person on the planet, but you do need to have a positive belief in yourself. Even those who are negative must believe in themselves.

If you take a look at people who are highly successful, architects or musicians or doctors or artists or business people who've done exceptionally well, you'll find that even though they may feel good sometimes and down sometimes, they have a positive belief in their ability to achieve what they want to achieve. Inside each of them is a drive, a vision that excites them and pushes them forward.

Do you know the fastest way to kill motivation? The fastest way to tank motivation is to set a goal that is so big you don't believe it's possible to achieve it. When you do that, when you create this giant goal that is unbelievable to you, it is de-motivating.

For instance, let's say you want to make a million dollars a year. That's fine. But let's also say that the most you've ever made is $50,000. In your gut there's probably a part of you that's telling you, "There's no way I'm going to make a million dollars. I could probably increase my income but . . ." If those are the thoughts going through your head, your negative belief system will limit you in such a way that you will have a very tough time accomplishing your goal. Why? It's too big for you at this time.

Instead, what you want to say to yourself is, "I'm now making $50,000 per year. Do I believe I can make $75,000 a year? Yes. Do I believe I can make $100,000 a year? Well, it might be a stretch, but I think I could probably do that. I could make a certain amount more money every month and increase my income to that." So set your income or your desired outcome at $100,000 a year, not a million. If you make $100,000 in the first month, great! Then expand your goal, "OK, let's increase it. I'm going for $150,000 this year."

You want to make your goals realistic. If they are too big of a stretch for you, it kills your motivation. You want to make your vision doable, because that vision and that passion, is what's going to move you. And, if you make it too big it takes the wind out of your sails.

Let me tell you a story about goals and vision. A number of years ago, a gentleman by the name of Walter asked his good friend Arthur to go for a drive in the country with him, on a pleasant Saturday afternoon.

They drove out through farmlands, through orchards and pasturelands, where there were cattle and horses grazing near barns, and it was a beautiful day. They had a great time driving and talking.

When they arrived at a large acreage in the country, Walter said, "I'm going to buy this property and I'm going to build something here that's going to be amazing! People are going to come from around the world to see this. Some of the surrounding property is up for sale too, and I want you to buy it, because you will make ten times your investment."

As Walter said this, Arthur was thinking, "There's no way. This guy is out of his mind. He's going to lose his money. It's not going to happen." He said, "Nice, I'm interested. I hope it goes well but I really can't help right now. I just don't think I can put the money into it now."

So Arthur blew him off. A couple of years later, when being interviewed about this discussion, Art Linkletter said of his friend Walt Disney, "Had I had really any idea or half the vision Walt did, I would have bought that property." Walt Disney had offered him the opportunity to buy most of the surrounding property around what is now Disneyland in California and Art Linkletter turned him down.

You've got to believe in yourself and your goal to have long term success. You don't have to be the most positive person in the world, although being positive has been absolutely proven to help. But you have to have at least a positive belief in what you're trying to do, and that you can make your goals happen. You can make today, and every day a great day.

The Best of Success to You!

PS. Statistics document that positive, optimistic, happy people live longer, are healthier, and generally have greater success, than do negative or pessimistic people.