Your mental picture of yourself, the image you would like to project to others, and what you truly are all dramatically affect your productivity because your self-image controls how you use time. You act like the kind of person you think you are. It is impossible to act otherwise for any length of time – no matter how much willpower you have.

People who think of themselves as failures inevitably fail regardless of the amount of time they spend working. What appears to be “trying hard” to succeed may actually be unproductive busywork that reinforces a negative self-image and produces failure. In contrast, people who expect to succeed focus their attention and efforts on constructive activities that produce results.

When you are no longer chained to self-defeating attitudes from the past or fears about what other people might think, you can experience the exhilarating challenge that makes every hour productive and success possible.