MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, AUTHOR & SUCCESS COACH

January 2025 Good news Have faith in yourself

 

Have Faith in Yourself

 

 

 

It is my hope that 2025 will be one of your best years yet. I want to share something today that’s been on my heart—the importance of having faith in yourself. I’m not talking about blind optimism or wishful thinking; I’m talking about the unshakable belief that you are capable of accomplishing anything you set your mind to do.

 

I just had a conversation this morning with a business owner who asked me, “What is the one thing that you still want to accomplish while you’re here on this earth?” It took me a whole two seconds to respond. I    told him that I want to help people realize that they can accomplish anything they want to do if they believe in themselves.

 

We live in a world filled with distractions and doubts, but let me tell you something: You were built for greatness. Every single one of us has a unique set of talents and abilities just waiting to be unlocked. But here’s the thing—unlocking them requires one critical ingredient: faith in yourself. And no, that’s not the only thing that you need.  As I’ve said over and over again, you’ve got to make changes in your life that will be necessary for you to go to the next level. If you want to live an above-average life, you have to be an above-average person.

 

To do this, you’ll need to surround yourself with like-minded people who have a positive mindset and are in your corner and believe in you. Keep in mind that there may not be many people out there who fit that description, but when you believe in yourself, the rest will follow.

 

When you truly believe in your ability to succeed, your whole mindset shifts. Obstacles become opportunities. Challenges become steppingstones. And the things you once thought were impossible suddenly feel within reach.

 

I know this is true because I’ve lived it. There have been times in my life when doubt tried to creep in, whispering, “You can’t do this.” But you know what? Faith drowned out those whispers. Faith said, “Why not you? Why not now?”

When I was building my first company back in 1993, I encountered several naysayers. My motivation was not to prove them wrong. It was to prove myself right. To me there’s nothing more liberating and satisfying than believing in yourself and your ability. Once you have this mindset, there is nothing you can’t do! The sky is the limit.

 

So, here’s my challenge to you for 2025 and beyond.

 

  1. Silence the Doubts. The only voice that matters is the one that tells you, “I can.” Train yourself to replace self-doubt with self-belief. I still talk to myself in the mirror and make positive affirmations to myself every day. Just like Brené Brown says, “Talk to yourself like you would talk to someone you love.”

 

  1. Take the Leap. You don’t need to have all the answers or a perfect plan. Faith is about stepping forward even when the path isn’t fully clear. As Zig Ziglar would often say, “An average plan executed is far better than a brilliant plan where nothing is done.”

 

  1. Commit to Growth. Believe in your potential and invest in it. Read, learn, and grow. The more you strengthen your abilities, the stronger your faith in yourself will become. I want to learn something new every day from the people I talk with. If you are intentional about learning something new, then you will!

 

“What I’ve learned in all these years is you just got to stay focused and believe in yourself and trust your own ability and judgment.” – Mark Cuban

 

The truth is that the life you’ve always dreamed of is possible, but it starts with YOU. It starts with your belief that you’re capable of achieving anything you desire. Always remember that you don’t have to be great to get started, you just have to get started to someday be great!

 

As Napoleon Hill wrote in his best-selling book Think and Grow Rich, “If you can conceive it and believe it, then you can achieve it.” I have lived by this quote since I entered the business world in 1983.

 

Have faith, stay determined, and take action. You’ve got this. Let’s make 2025 your BEST year EVER!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

What People in the Audience are Saying…

With Van's passion, humor and experience you can be assured of one thing- your audience is going to get fired-up, built-up, and fully charged –up. As an entrepreneur at the top of his game Van is in the unique position of being able to "talk the talk" because he has "walked the walk". Over the years he has been a great inspiration to me and my staff. Van is a speaker with charisma, humility and impact and he's a difference maker in the lives of the people he touches…"

—George Akers // President, First Mortgage Corp.

I wanted to thank you for coming and speaking with our company today. I thought your presentation was awesome! I was really motivated and inspired by your thoughts and ideas. I will use this motivation to grow my business and my personal life.”

—Justin Pauls // Realtor, Tampa, Florida

We are delighted you will be accepting the award for Omaha’s Top 25 fastest growing companies. Congratulations on your outstanding growth and we wish you continued success.”

—Tracey Fortina // Omaha Chamber of Commerce

Thank you for running such a class act company. It is an honor and a pleasure to be associated with someone such as yourself. I know you are probably one of the most respected businessmen in the region.”

—Dustin Talacko // Realtor, Omaha, Nebraska

Congratulations on writing “Selling from the heart” and thank you for sharing a copy with me. Your class has been one of the most enjoyable classes I’ve ever taken. Your enthusiasm and passion for your work are awesome. But the most refreshing part of the class was your delightful sense of humor. Thank you again for being a fantastic teacher.”

—Linda Reismeiler // Student at Randall School of Real Estate, Omaha, Nebraska

Kudos to you, Van, for reaching a major goal. But more than that...For successfully building one of Omaha’s best companies from scratch and making it thrive even in less than ideal market conditions. You have realized the American Dream...And brought it home to many, many others. My best to you!”

—Todd Andrews, Anchor and Producer, KETV Omaha

Having you here again was such a blessing to so many! As I looked at the pictures, I could see just how interested each and every person was in what you had to say!

This has been such a gift to our agents when they need it the most. The fact that you come, you are so genuine and caring, you are so honest, you are not trying to sell anything and your passion to help each and every person believe in themselves and become the best they can be is HUGE! The timing is perfect for us all helping and caring about each other, so, thank YOU from the bottom of my heart for giving of yourself to help all of us!”

—Carolyn Summerton // First Mortgage Company of Idaho

I enjoyed your seminar and its focus. I was on the fence whether or not to attend and decided why not? I could have sat through an all day session if there was one, usually I end up at the seminars that start with a focus and quickly go astray. I found with yours time flew by too fast and it was already time to go but I wasn’t ready to go.”

—Scott Asbill, CDPE // Associate Broker, Realtor