Many times, someone else's opinion of us carries more weight than our opinion of ourselves. This can be really good or really bad. In my own life, I've had a number of people who really believed I had something special, and I finally started living up to what others had seen in me.

In those cases when negative opinions prevail, it often can be tragic. I hear countless stories of people who have been so brainwashed by a bombardment of negative statements that they miss out on much of what life has to offer.

That's one of the reasons I was so fascinated with an extract from a notebook of Robert Fulton, the man who invented the steamship: "As I had occasion daily to pass to and from the shipyard where my boat was in progress, I often loitered near the groups of strangers and heard various remarks as to the object of this new vehicle. The language was uniformly that of scorn, sneer or ridicule. The loud laugh often rose at my expense; the dry jest; the wise calculations of losses or expenditures; the dull repetition of 'Fulton's Folly.' Never did a single encouraging remark, a bright hope, a warm wish cross my path." We humans, wise in our own conceit, feel perfectly sure that what never has been never can be!

Needless to say, all of us are delighted that Fulton chose to take his own counsel, not believe the negatives, and go full speed ahead to the benefit of mankind. I caution you, however, not to reject but to accept criticism — if two circumstances exist. First, if the person offering the criticism has a vested interest in your future. Second, if the critic is able to offer a positive suggestion as to how you can correct the problem. Take that approach, and I'll see you at the top!

Commitment Brings Out the Best

President John F. Kennedy learned something about commitment from Frank O'Connor, an Irish writer. The Irishman told of his childhood days when he and his friend would wander through the countryside of their homeland. When they would come to an orchard with a wall too high to climb, they would toss their hats over the wall so they would have no choice but to figure out a way to get over.

Kennedy tossed the hat of America over the wall when he challenged us to land a man on the moon. When that happened, all of America got busy as a huge team. Technicians, scientists, politicians, business leaders, contractors and builders were unified, and we did what President Kennedy said we were going to do.

It's true. We occasionally need to "go out on the limb because that is where the fruit is," and we need to remember "the turtle never makes any progress until he sticks his neck out." Throw in another one — on occasion, we need to "bite off more than we can chew" — and then chew it. This doesn't mean that we are reckless, but it does mean that when we have a conviction (which always should precede a commitment), we can do something. We make the commitment to do it. I'm confident that President Kennedy had talked with his advisers and had a conviction that we could reach our objective. All the answers were not available, but they were confident that solving one problem would lead to the solving of others.

In goal setting, please understand that you go as far as you can see, and when you get there, you'll be able to see farther. Again, when you have a conviction, based on reasonable information, that you can accomplish an objective, then make the commitment to go for it. Take that approach, and I'll see you at the top!

To find out more about Zig Ziglar and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. Subscribe to Zig Ziglar's free e-mail newsletter through info@zigziglar.com.

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