I’ve always admired people who believed they could accomplish something so big it seemed impossible. These people started with the intent of turning their dreams into reality. Along the way to success, they ignored the fact that it might not work.

Henry Ford built a car before anyone knew they needed one. The Wright brothers learned to fly when the ordinary person was content with just about any other mode of transportation. And Elon Musk dreamed about electric cars people wanted to buy — and even autonomous driving — while the rest of the driving population was fueling up their 16-miles-per-gallon SUVs.

These individuals all had one thing in common: They believed the impossible was possible. They saw something in their minds that was as real as gravity, and they believed it was only a matter of time before what they believed became a reality. Failure was not a deterrent but rather a step forward.

It would have been a lot easier just to let the thought, dream and ambition dissipate into the wind. But these leaders chose to see the world differently. While critics were unable to anticipate the demand for what these individuals were creating, the innovators never let that influence their thinking.

This represents something I believe is the foundation of success. If you master the ability to change your thinking in your life and leadership, it will alter your trajectory and propel you higher than you ever thought possible. Those who dare to do what I’m about to describe will, indeed, soar throughout life — even if they fail more often than they succeed.

What I am suggesting is this: You need to start thinking about your thinking. Your mind is where success begins. It may seem strange, but it’s true. You must give yourself permission to believe what you see in your heart can become a reality. How you view the world makes an incredible difference in how you approach it.

That’s especially true for Christians, as we place our faith in a God who specializes in doing the impossible and encourages His followers to trust Him for big things (Matthew 17:20). If you believe God’s ability to work through you is limited, you will never live up to your full potential.

If, however, you believe all things are possible with God, you will operate from an abundance that will give you the confidence you need to push forward even when the way forward isn’t clear. The times I struggled the most could almost always be traced back to how I was thinking about whatever I was facing.

When I first arrived at Southeastern University, there was a lot of unrest. I could see so much potential when many thought the best years were in the past. I refused to believe that and never let it enter my mind. Instead, I approached each conversation as a piece of the puzzle. As I put together more pieces of the puzzle, the opportunity in front of us became clearer.

If you believe God’s ability to work through you is limited, you will never live up to your full potential.

Changing an educational institution can be difficult. Put executives, scholars and administrators together, and you have a recipe for a dog fight most of the time. Highly educated and successful individuals don’t usually respond well to being told what to do.

So, if I ever hoped to move the needle and realize the potential that was so clear to me, it wasn’t going to be through force or will. Instead, I needed to open people’s minds to new ways of thinking.

Five Steps to Unlocking Your Potential

The task of thinking about your thinking is easier than you might think. Like anything new, it will take time before this becomes a habit. But it will change your life and what you believe is possible.

1. Create space for personal reflection. This may be in the middle of a noisy coffee shop or at the edge of town. It doesn’t matter. Just find a place where you can think without distractions for an extended period of time.
2. Write down one thing you want to accomplish in the next 90 days. There is something powerful about writing down your thoughts. It creates clarity and makes goals suddenly seem more attainable.
3. Identify what would have to happen to make it possible for you to deliver on your goal. Don’t edit your thinking. Just write. Try to include as many steps as possible.
4. Determine how your thinking or perspective needs to change. As you record the things that must take place for you to accomplish your goal, pay attention to your inner critic. Therein lies your biggest obstacle. Let go of old ways of thinking, and ask God to give you fresh insight into what He wants to do through you.
5. Commit to delivering on your goal within a given time frame. When you declare you will do something, life seems to organize itself in such a way that makes the impossible possible.

Turn Dreams into Your Reality

Once you start to build this practice into your life, you’ll understand how powerful it can be as you release your mind to believe the impossible is possible. This discipline has helped me elevate my influence and cultivate success in many different areas. It’s impacted my marriage, parenting, spiritual formation and professional life.

There isn’t a part of life you can’t impact when you start thinking about your thinking — and trust God to help you achieve the vision He gives you.

If you’re curious about why some people find a way to succeed no matter what they face, now you know. It’s because they choose to see the world differently. Life is really what you make it, and it all starts with your thinking.

Don’t let the opinions and objections of others inhibit your ability to follow the notions, hunches and ideas that will lead you to places beyond what you believe is possible today — and give you the ability to turn your beliefs into reality.