Confidence is something I have found through adversity in my life. It’s not something that came naturally to me at all. I had to work really hard at it. But now, I have this knowing that I can absolutely create and achieve everything I want in my life. So Rachel Krider asked me some questions on how I obtained this rock solid confidence and the subsequent successes throughout my life.
Shane and Rachel Krider Presidential Suite Navigator of the Seas
I started an entrepreneurial venture in the discount travel industry at twenty-six, became a self-made millionaire within a few years, and then lost the lot. Around the same time I had a tragic water skiing accident, which nearly took my life and left me with huge medical bills. Despite all these circumstances, I had absolute knowing and confidence that I was going to find business success again – this time I launched a company within the personal development space and in less than five years it was valued at USD$170 million.
Most people can’t relate to that kind of quantum leap. Imagine a bank balance of $0 and still having the confidence to launch a company with such limited resources, and then not long after have it valued at such a significant amount. What made me think I could do it?
I just knew I had to do something. I had confidence and aptitude to ask myself – why can’t I make another quantum leap? I knew I had the ability to believe something into reality. I was confident in thought and confident in action. I controlled my thoughts to create my outcomes. What you focus on is what you bring about. James Allan talks about this in greater detail – you think in private but those thoughts are available for the world to see.
Rach and Shane exploring Portugal
It’s not just holding a vision in your mind or a thought. It was finding the truth through adversity. My business crashed, I had a near death experience, there was a lot of urgency in my mind to cut through. I felt if I could open myself up to the truth of things, stop freaking out and see things for what they are without the big dramatic story, then it would allow my mind to stay open. By doing so I came out the other side with rock solid certainty and confidence. I absolutely knew I was going to find entrepreneurial success again. That was my purpose.
It wasn’t even about financial success – that was a secondary part of the venture. I wanted to become the person, I wanted to be the successful leader, so I decided to take the responsibility to raise my game, and show up as that person I wanted to be.
My first wave of success came from finding an opportunity that already existed. I believe I attracted it because I decided what I wanted, and out of pure desperation, I opened my mind and actually had a real look at what was out there. I needed to know for myself, and then I created the space in my mind to allow myself to find that opportunity. This first venture made me a millionaire, which was absolutely directly linked to a mental shift I made out of pure desperation to get out of an under paid, time consuming blue collar job.
After that business crashed, due to circumstances completely out of my control (thank-you world wide web), my fellow entrepreneurs were returning back to the work force. This was absolutely not an option for me. I knew I could never go back to that life. I was so determined by what I had to do to keep moving forward as an entrepreneur that I approached every aspect of creating my new business from that level of knowing and confidence. And it worked. I made it happen out of nowhere. And that sent me on an upswing of financial success leading to a valuation of $170 million in five years.
It’s not just visualizing and meditating on an image of what you want. Nothing happens without action. First have the belief. Then have a clear vision. Then act on it! It’s equal parts action and vision. You can believe something into reality, and because I know this to be true, that is the source of my rock solid confidence.