I recently read an article in the Springfield News-Leader about Adam Ottavino, a talented pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals organization who is currently playing for their farm club, the Springfield, Missouri, Cardinals.

The article related how he was a fast rising star who once showed a great deal of promise but then had a period of disappointment, and that his career was once again on an upswing. In an interview with the reporter, Ottavino stated: “I’m a notoriously slow starter…at every level I’ve been at. Hopefully I can keep this going.” My advice to Adam is: If you believe you’re a notoriously slow starter, you will be a notoriously slow starter. Because what you believe to be true is true for you, regardless of how it plays out in the real world. Our beliefs are powerful forces that can affect us positively, or negatively.