Life can be hard.

Not always in dramatic, headline-worthy ways, but in the steady, persistent grind of everyday living. The alarm goes off. The calendar is full. Expectations pile up. We carry stress from work, concern for people we love, financial pressure, uncertainty about the future, and quiet disappointment when things don’t turn out the way we hoped.

Even when life looks good on the outside, many of us wrestle internally. We question whether we’re doing enough. Whether we’re making the right choices. Whether the best years are behind us or still ahead. In those moments, it can be difficult, sometimes nearly impossible, to see things clearly.  To see what is possible. To see our potential. 

But believing in our potential is a powerful thing. It doesn’t come naturally to everyone, especially when fatigue, setbacks, or self-doubt cloud our perspective. We are often our own harshest critics. We replay mistakes, magnify shortcomings, and underestimate what we’re capable of becoming.  Our human nature focuses on our faults.

That’s why belief rarely begins with just ourselves.

That’s why we have parents who see possibility before we do. Siblings who remind us of who we’ve always been. Spouses who stand beside us when confidence wavers. Friends who encourage us to keep going. Coaches who push us beyond what feels comfortable. Teammates who count on us. Leaders who entrust us with responsibility before we feel ready.

If you have led a successful life so far, by any measure, there was almost certainly a moment when someone believed in you more than you believed in yourself.

Sometimes that belief was obvious and spoken out loud. A teacher saying, “You should try.” A coach saying, “I want you in the game.” A boss saying, “I think you can handle this.” Other times it was quieter. An opportunity given. A second chance offered. A patient conversation instead of criticism.

Those moments matter more than we often realize.

Belief has a way of expanding what feels possible. When someone we respect sees potential in us, it alters how we see ourselves. It nudges us to try harder, to persist longer, to step forward when we might otherwise retreat. Over time, belief, repeated and reinforced, instills confidence. And confidence, paired with hard work, leads to capability, competence, and enthusiasm.

But belief is not just something to receive. It is also something to give.

Each of us has opportunities every day to lift someone up. A child unsure of themselves. A brother or sister struggling quietly. A friend navigating uncertainty. A player who’s lost confidence. A teammate feeling overlooked. An employee wondering whether their work really matters.

It costs nothing to tell someone, sincerely, “I believe in you.” Yet what they receive in return can be priceless.

Belief is not blind optimism, nor does it ignore the work required to grow. True belief says, I see what you’re capable of, and I know it won’t be easy, but I trust you to do the work. It is encouragement grounded in reality, not flattery.

The world does not lack talent. It lacks encouragement. Too many people walk away from their potential not because they couldn’t do the work, but because no one ever believed in them.  No one told them they could achieve something.  And sometimes because they never told themselves.

So perhaps the invitation is simple.

Believe in yourself, even when life feels heavy. Maybe especially when it feels heavy. You are more capable than you think.

And just as importantly, believe in others. Speak it. Show it. Act on it.

My Christmas wish for you this year is to take a moment today to lift someone up. Tell them you see them. Tell them you believe in their potential. You may never fully see or understand the impact of that moment, but it may matter more than you know. Give the gift of belief this season.

And maybe, just maybe, because you believed in them, they will learn to believe in themselves.

Tony Thelen is an executive coach and founder of The River Coaching & Consulting, based in West Okoboji, Iowa. He is the author of Things We Desire, available on Amazon and through major book retailers. For signed and personalized copies, contact Tony at [email protected].