For many years growing up I, like many other kids and young adults, succumbed to the opinions of many others that I would not be as successful as they were and that I wasn't meant to be one of the people who achieved their goals like so many people you see featured on sites like Bodybuilding.com or as cover stories in world famous publications like Iron Man Magazine.

Now this isn't about me. Anyone who researches me knows my story so I don't need to go into it again. This is about you. Yes, you the person who is sitting there reading this right now with questions on your mind and voices all around you filling your thoughts with doubt and shame. I'm here to tell you right now that the time has come to change your thoughts and stop listening to everyone around you.

"Well, what if the doubting and negative voices are all I have around me?" Believe it or not, that's not true. If you listen close, really close, there is one voice you can hear. It's not any of the voices surrounding your ears. It's the one voice that resides in between them. That voice has been muffled for a long time and hasn't been heard but still it does NOT stay silent. That voice is wanting to tell you something important but you haven't been able to focus on that voice because of you listening to the other voices. No shame in that and it happens to many of us but now you need to take a minute and devote your attention to that voice that has been waiting to communicate with you. Close your eyes, focus deep into your mind, shut everything else out, and just listen.

Now that you have tuned out all the voices saying "no you can't do anything worthwhile" that voice wants to tell you loud, proud, and over the entire negative crowd that "yes you can."

"Yes you can do any and all of the great things you set your mind to. Yes you can achieve any goal you wish. Despite all the negativity, the doubters, the haters, and even your own self-esteem taking the beating it has taken for so long, you can absolutely re-focus, re-commit, and do ANYTHING that YOU want to do.

"Pay no attention to them anymore. They speak loudly because they have no power. A voice is truly powerful if it can speak softly and you still listen. Listen to this voice now, set your highest goals that you wish, and dammit, go get it done because now this is about you and not them. Many say they doubt you now but many more will say they are inspired by you when you do it anyway. You are meant to be one of those that reaches goals and catches dreams. That can be you and if you wish to make it so, it will be you."

That one voice said all of that just now. Did you hear it?

Roger