In today’s commanding and highly demanding society, it is easy to find that all people reach “low points.” As societal standards remain higher-than-ever, it is easy to see how people can feel incapable, discouraged, and not “good enough” to achieve the success they so-desperately long for. Some even feel unable to handle the task of life itself. These low points have a very vast range of possibilities: all of which have a detrimental effect on one’s mental perception of them-self. The way a person handles such bumps-in-the-road says a lot about what mentality he or she holds.

It is human nature to long for perfection and constantly improve upon ones-self in order to achieve it. Mass media is of no help to this feeling of “lack”, because it constantly, and indirectly, presses the illusion of perfection: something that not one person will ever be able to fully embody. Perfection does not exist. However, the perception of perfection does. People often verbally-degrade themselves, because they feel that they can not live up to the same standards presented to them in the media, for example. Several peoples’ self esteems plummet as a result of not feeling “capable” to do or be something that they wish. What people generally fail to realize, is that no one is “perfect.” Every person is facing their own internal battle; a battle others may or may not know anything about. People are their own worst critics. Quite frankly, no one is judging another person as harshly as that person is judging them-self.

As a matter of fact, the majority of people would not openly admit that they are struggling with something. Most people put on a face that everything is “perfect” and that their life is ideal, in tact, and flawless of any and every bump-in-the-road. Whether announced or not, every person one crosses paths with is internally fighting their own battle. You will find that some are more open to announcing their struggles: that is, if they themselves have acknowledged and accepted that there is a problem, and if they have a plan for actively solving it. Others solely internalize the problem. Nobody wants to put on a face that they are doing or accomplishing anything less than what they think they are capable of. Both are reactions to a person’s self-perceived “low points” in life.

First and foremost, the term “unable” is often inappropriately used in place of the word “ill-equipped.” These words are not interchangeable, because “unable” infers that one will never acquire the skills necessary to accomplish the goal they desire, where as the term “ill-equipped” does the opposite. With verbal use and the internalized belief in the detrimental word “unable,” a person will never fully win their own mental-battle. This term, through use by any person and in every connotation, reflects a pure lack of self-confidence; it is detrimental to a person actually achieving success. This word places people even further away from their goal of so-called “perfection” than they already are.

With this stated, there is a distinct difference between people who are ill-equipped and people who are unable to accomplish that which their heart sets out to. More often than not, you will find that people vocalize phrases such as the following; “it is impossible,” “there is no hope,” “I can’t” and “i am unable” to do something. This is an approach to situations where one holds a lack mentality, rather than a mentality of abundance. If an individual keeps telling them-self that they are “unable” to accomplish something, they will prove them-self right- and vise versa.

It is important to understand that if a person wants to rise-above the negative situation they are facing, they need to keep a mentality of abundance (hope of resolution and a positive attitude) within them-self. To foster a mindset of abundance, an individual would need to approach negative situations with positive self-affirmations such as; “right now I am ill-equipped with the skills I need to reach my goal, but I am going to learn the skills necessary to get myself out of this situation,” “I am capable,” and “I will reach my goal.” This mentality approaches the same negative situation with hope and a positive attitude (belief that one is currently “ill-equipped”) rather than the belief in ones own failure, opposition and inability (belief that one is “unable”).

It is far more beneficial for an individual to replace the term “unable,” with the term “ill-equipped.” “Ill-equipped” does not infer that a person will never be able to achieve something, where as the term “unable” does. The term “ill-equipped” holds a positive outlook in that there is still hope for future success. It exemplifies that a person is capable of accomplishing their goal if, and only if, they develop the skills necessary to do so. Whether a person actually ends up reaching their goal, or not, is fully in their own control and it says a lot about that individuals mentality and self-beliefs. Every person is capable of achieving success. Many are simply ill-equipped with the tools they need to do so. Just because a person is ill-equipped, does not mean that they are unable. The mind will achieve what a person subconsciously believes. Likewise, your success will come when you make the change from a lack mentality and instead, into a mentality of abundance.