- Jan 2
- 3 min read

Self-confidence

By Luci Fardo

There was once a business executive who was in a deep mountain of debt. Suppliers were demanding payment. Creditors were closing in. He sat on a bench contemplating bankruptcy. He felt like his world was crashing down around him.

Suddenly an old man showed up and sat next to him. He spoke saying "I see you have something troubling you young man."

The old man listened intently before saying, "I believe I can help you."

Then he asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand, saying, “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time.”

Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!

“I can erase my money worries in an instant!” he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the un-cashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his business, he thought.

With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment. Then he closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.

Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the uncashed check. At the agreed-upon time, the older man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the older man.

“I’m so glad I caught him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn’t been bothering you. He’s always escaping from the rest home and telling people he’s John D. Rockefeller.”

And she led the older man away by the arm.

The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long, he’d been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him.

Suddenly, he realized that it wasn’t the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.

Self-confidence is crucial in everyone's life in order to succeed. You must have the confidence and the belief in yourself. Remember that you are in control of your life. Don't let a self-defeating attitude rule your life. This is a new year! Make sure that you make it your best.

Start with yourself. Make positive changes in your life. When you start taking better physical care of yourself. Make realistic goals with measurable improvement. If you want to lose weight track it each day or week. This will help you build self-confidence and help you to improve in other areas of your life.

Do you want to move up in your company? Read books about leadership. Is there an area you are struggling in? Talk to your boss. He or she could help you come up with a plan of action. The more you become involved in your company the more likelihood of success. All of these things will improve your self-confidence.

I hope that you use the story and information today and apply it to your own life. I hope that you have a healthy and happy new year. Look at each day as an opportunity to achieve great things. I hope you find the confidence in yourself to realize your potential. It is endless.