When was the last time you literally said to yourself, “I can’t?”  Last week?  Yesterday?  This morning?  Just admit it.  All of us say those words to something in our lifetime.

I’ve known people who didn’t want to have kids because they were worried they wouldn’t be a good enough parent.  I have sobering news for you.  None of us will ever be a flawless parent.

Unfortunately, this will be the case for pretty much everything in our lives.  We will occasionally screw things up in our marriage, finances, careers, personal health, etc, etc, etc.

And to some extent, deep down we really do know this.  But we still manage to place impossible  levels of excellence on ourselves when considering doing something new.  If there isn’t nearly a 100%  possibility that we will excel at it, we won’t even attempt it.  Any of these sound familiar?

Lose 50 pounds

Save for a new car

Change my lifestyle

Quit smoking

Improve my walk with God

Run a Marathon 

Tell my testimony

Recently, I’ve been on a personal journey of self-leadership improvement.  Most of my efforts have been entirely centered on physical, spiritual, professional, and relational growth.  You might be saying, “That sounds like a lot!”  It can be, but I’ve learned to not let it be.  You see, I have a list…..a plan…..to go after certain things all through the year.  I made a list of three things I want to accomplish this year and broke each one down in small, bite-sized steps.

I’ve been doing really well at most all of them.  But then there’s that ONE.  It seems like there is always ONE thing that we have the most difficulty with.  Do you find this to be true as well?

It boils down to self-image!

One of the books I’ve been spending time reading each morning is ‘The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth’ by John Maxwell.  In chapter 3, he states that “People are never able to outperform their self-image.”  I believe this to be true of all of us.  So, somehow…some way…we must develop a healthier self-image in order to tackle these  other areas in life.

Back to the ONE thing I am struggling with improving.  Earlier this year my wife encouraged me in this area.  She did this by speaking words of affirmation and encouragement into me.  She spoke things into me that I didn’t believe about myself.  Next, she slapped a very creative, yet God-sized, challenge on me.  She freaked me out and built me up all at the same time.

After spending much time praying about this CHALLENGE of hers, I’ve decided to give it my best shot.  I realize I might fail or even not complete it.  But I am also fully aware that if I don’t even try…I’ve already failed!

What is your ONE THING?  What aspect of your own self-image needs the most work?  Comment below.  I’d love to encourage you.