It's been a long while, so I'll dive right in. First—a relevant song. If you're like me, music is more than an entertainment medium; it influences, it touches, it comforts, and it convicts.

Armin van Buuren "Heading Up High" is one of those electronic jams I've been running back on repeat for months now (between some Yeezy, Future, and the entirety of the Creed soundtrack). This one, aside from being an uplifting song, has lines in each verse that have resonated with me.

"For the flaw lies in your head / not in your heart, see" ... "Know the dawn lies in your hands / Just let your heart speak /And the darkest light will soon /Burn bright again"

This hit so hard for someone who spends unreal amounts of time calculating everything—often incorrectly. The lesson this song has helped teach me, in conjunction with some recent life experiences, is to realize that the most distinctive part of our biology can also be the most destructive.

I'm certain you've encountered a time or two (or more) where you second-guess yourself, hoping you're taking the best course of action. That can save you from a potential disaster, but if you treat life as a numbers game, considering probabilities, safe bets, and certainties, you'll do more harm than good.

The lesson: trust.

You may think yourself self-reliant, but this ruse is one that hides that your judgment is clouded by experience—fear, anxiety, and doubt. The same experience that has kept you safe has had the unfortunate side effect of keeping you safe.

"the flaw lies in your head, not in your heart"

Often, the best course of action is pure action; instinct and intent untainted by the endless feedback loop of thought. The voice of reason, while an excellent failsafe, is also an active hindrance. If you believe yourself to possess a higher-than-average degree of intelligence, I'm speaking directly to you now, because once you learn to quiet the fearful, careful side of your being, you'll discover the other parts of yourself that you might have thought lost to you.

The beauty of childhood is that you move through your young life unburdened by experience. To be young at heart is to be receptive. As we age, we start to hide behind what we know to be subjectively true—that is to say our views are colored by our individual episodes.

For example:

• Trying obsessively to present the most agreeable version of yourself to whomever is around you at a given moment.
• Taking the "safe" path to completing a task (when, deeply, you have the urge to go the extra mile).
• Letting your moonshot dreams remain moonshot (not even considering the "landing among the stars" option).
• Accepting defeat when you're at the threshold of victory (however you may define that).

The common denominator in every one of those situations, and more, is the self-limiting beliefs formed over time.

My challenge to you:

The very next time you're faced with uncertainty, tell yourself to "let your heart speak," and I do mean literally saying that to yourself. Let your mind fall silent as, from the core of your being, your determination surfaces. I promise—it takes only a few times doing this before a shift in thinking occurs. Trust yourself. You'll be happier that way, because you'll stop actively impeding your own happiness.

I won't tell you "good luck," because when this idea becomes a part of you...

You won't need the luck.