A belief is any guiding principle, dictum, faith or passion that can provide direction and meaning in life. When we trust something is true, that belief delivers a strong command to the brain to visualize what we are convinced will occur while simultaneously changing our subconscious thought patterns.

Having a strong belief can be your most powerful tool in bringing great things into your life. A series of strong beliefs can empower you so you can achieve almost any goal that you set for yourself. Once you set your goal and you truly believe you can accomplish it, your nervous system and brain come into play and make it work. Throughout history, people who have had strong beliefs have accomplished things many people thought were previously impossible.

To change your behaviors, it is important to examine your current belief system and be open to changing what doesn’t work. The first step in changing your belief system is to find people who have done what you want to accomplish. Study their belief systems and incorporate them into your own belief structure. As these wise folks know, success leaves clues.

It is important in your life to do things that will challenge your established belief patterns and get you out of your comfort zone. The event in my life that took my belief system to an entirely new level was the fire walk experience with Tony Robbins. As you may already know, Tony Robbins is a well known motivational speaker and the father of the Life Coaching movement. On the first day of his seminar, participants walk across a bed of hot coals. I will never forget signing the waiver form right before the event which stated that Robbins Research International was not responsible for any bodily harm — noting that the coals can reach temperatures up to 1,200 degrees! Trying to stay positive, I thought to myself at the time, “If I don’t get through the fire walk successfully, I could always become a professional stump dancer!”

In the end I made it through unharmed, and that successful walk across a twenty foot bed of hot coals took my belief system as well as my mental game to an entirely new level. The fire walk also demonstrated to me that I can trust myself and have the ability to use my mind over physical obstacles. It removed any doubt about my ability to do anything I thought was difficult or impossible. That is why I now believe that if I could get myself to walk over red hot coals, the world is open and waiting for me to achieve things I previously thought I could not.

Beliefs come from different events in your life. We all have experiences that we won’t forget. We each have events in our own lives that create or alter the perceptions we have of our own world. A good way to reconstruct or bolster a belief structure is through seeking additional knowledge. By reading books on how others have achieved incredible accomplishments, you will help shift your belief system relating to what is possible. This will eventually help you succeed. Also, talking to anyone you can find who has accomplished what you wish to accomplish adds to your knowledge base. Learn as much as you can from others’ experiences. Most people enjoy talking about their successes and sharing the knowledge they have gained.

Remember to Believe and you will succeed!

By Eric Schmidt, Camera Staff Writer
May 28, 2006

After 10 weeks of training for the Bolder Boulder, the Beyond Limits team is pumped up for the race.

The team of about 25 runners with physical and developmental disabilities took its final practice laps Thursday at the Boulder Valley Ranch trailhead. The goal, organizers said, is for every runner to finish Monday’s race and inspire others with disabilities to do things they never thought they could.

“I’m ready,” Kam Burns said before hitting the trail with a buddy. “I feel good.”

The 4-year-old program pairs runners — who range in age from 16 to 43 — with mentors for training and encouragement. The group has been running twice a week at Boulder Valley Ranch and the East Boulder Recreation Center since March.

Beyond Limits pools efforts from several local organizations and enjoys a $10,000 sponsorship from Nike for running gear. Boulder Running Company manager Henry Guzman and Sherri Brown, of the Boulder Parks and Recreation Department’s Expand program, are among the organizers.

Guzman said it’s amazing to watch the runners come into their own leading up to the race. He said one participant enjoyed the sport so much she’s now on Longmont High School’s cross country team.

“This is bar-none the best group — the most cohesive group — of athletes we’ve ever had,” Guzman said of this year’s team.

Scott Armstrong, president of the Boulder Coaching Academy, said his first year as a volunteer with the program has been productive physically and satisfying personally.

An author and life coach, Armstrong wrote the book “Boston Marathon or Bust: How to Achieve Your Dreams,” which uses completion of that race as a metaphor for personal success. He is donating 25 percent of proceeds from the book to the Special Olympics.

“It’s really been rewarding,” said Armstrong, who has been running the Bolder Boulder for more than 10 years. “It’s great to get out with the kids and have a good time. They just get so excited to be out here running.”

Lizzy Creech, 25, said it’s fun to be part of the team.

“I like the exercise and the friends,” she said.

Louisville resident Carol Creech, Lizzy’s mother, said the runners have shown commitment, training in rain and snow for an opportunity they would never have had otherwise.

“It’s wonderful to see the glow these athletes project with the success they’ve had over the last four years,” she said.

Kathy Leszcynski, of Lafayette, said she’s been running the Bolder Boulder “forever” but has never been more satisfied than when her 26-year-old son, Jason, shaved his time by 22 minutes when running the race for a second year.

“My dream had always been to do it with Jason, and now that’s happening,” she said.

Boulder Coaching Academy Helps Special Olympians achieve BolderBOULDER 10K Dreams

Boulder, CO – May 2, 2006 Scott Armstrong, personal success coach and marathon runner, “walks his talk.” Or rather, he runs it. That’s why the president and founder of Boulder Coaching Academy volunteered to be a pacer for Boulder’s Special Olympics program, training local kids for the upcoming Celestial Seasonings 28th Memorial Day BolderBOULDER 10K Race.

“If you really want to make major improvements in your life, you need someone to help you get moving forward, and to show you what to do to get better results than you’re getting right now. It’s an absolute must!” says Armstrong. “I’m delighted to share both my love of running and my recognition of the importance of constantly pushing one’s limits with these Special Olympians. Their racing success will be life altering.”

His first Boston Marathon was a big achievement, but Armstrong’s most influential and life-changing experience was fire-walking at an Anthony Robbins seminar. “Once I used my mind to overcome my fears and walk across 20 feet of hot coals, I knew I had to share this knowledge,” he says. The walk raised his “mental game” to a new level, and inspired a new career: success coach. Since then, Armstrong has helped people from the four corners of the world.

Armstrong, president of Boulder Coaching Academy, recently penned the book, ” Boston Marathon Or Bust: How to Achieve Your Dreams,” which uses the metaphor of his preparation to compete in – and successfully complete – the 100th running of the Boston Marathon. It’s a must read for the steps one takes to turn a dream into a goal – and then into a reality.

To help support the Special Olympics program, while simultaneously sharing how he used goal-setting techniques to achieve his dream of running in the Boston Marathon, Armstrong is donating 25% of all proceeds from the sale of his book to Special Olympics. For ordering details, visit Armstrong’s web site: http://bouldercoachingacademy.com.