“Faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to. Without faith, a man can do nothing. With it, all things are possible.” – Sir William Osler

Faith should be considered no less than a superpower. It is an invisible force, ever-present within you, that can make you do anything – from giving an outstanding presentation the day after your boss reprimands you for your incompetence, to becoming the world’s first female amputee to climb Mt. Everest (who happens to be Arunima Singh by the way). Instilling or increasing faith is absolutely essential to achieve the next level of success. We hear about successful entrepreneurs taking calculated risks all the time. That’s because taking better risks and better action is the by-product of faith. 

FAITH IS DIFFERENT FROM HOPE

It is not uncommon for people to confuse and interchange these words: faith, and hope. What’s more, these words are quite common. We see them doing the rounds in our lives constantly – be it propping up in those famous those ‘good morning’ social media messages to making a bold entrance in famous speeches meant to inspire. All this really does is shove them into a single ‘how to be successful’ or ‘words to inspire’ folder in our brains.

But just like our saved items on Facebook that we almost never end up opening again, we refuse to go through these folders with a fine-tooth comb to really unearth their true meaning, unique identities and real power that can change our lives.

Try to imagine the two as a multilayered cake. Each layer tastes just as good, but the most important layer is the base – it is what holds everything together, the cake would cease to exist without it. That is the purpose served by faith. Faith stems from the soul, and is spiritual. It is intuitive and long-lasting. In a nutshell, faith grants better actions and results.

Comparatively, hope will always be ordinary. Here’s why: hope is to wish for things to get better during a time of worry or anxiety, but it may not involve the path to action and its fruition. 

Faith, on the other hand, dwells on positive expectations. It is a tremendous emotion that works as insurance in the moments of uncertainty, rather than stemming from it. This emotion is what helps actualising the imagined possibility into our reality. It is beautiful in being unspoiled by logic, or pessimism. This is what allows us to achieve extraordinary things every day.

We often forget to put faith in ourselves, choosing instead to put faith in others because it is simply more convenient, and then berating ourselves when we are let down.

Stepping into the unknown is uncertain and fearful. It’s unfamiliar and uncomfortable. But it can indicate that you don’t believe in yourself and the higher powers that lie within you and will support you.

Having faith allows me to take a big jump into the unknown, and transforming it into success, rather than shying away from an opportunity. It is prevalent in knowing of the possibility that we imagine. It brings conviction and confidence into the existence of the things that are unseen. 

I cannot say this enough: Faith helps us to embrace the unknown. And when we embrace the unknown, we get our desired known. 

UNLEASH THIS SUPERPOWER TO RECHARGE YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE

If you have faith, daily hassles and bigger life concerns won’t be able to draw you into the dark pit of anxiety and stress. Merely the expectation that things will get better, and the confidence that your life, exactly as it is today, has extraordinary meaning and purpose, can make you strong enough to avoid these negative emotions.

When you avoid negativity, you spontaneously become more productive, and more ‘present’ in the moment. In this way you can remove the barricades – the fear of rejection, the social anxiety, the self-doubt – that keep you from tapping into your true talent. Faith is what will allow you to take one step each day towards fulfilling your dreams. It is believing in your ability to achieve what you want to achieve.

When was the last time you instilled faith in yourself, about yourself? It better be today.