Being Brilliant
What’s holding you back from achieving brilliance? On Being Brilliant, we tackle the excuses, doubts, and fears that keep you from reaching your full potential. Each episode is a spark of inspiration, blending motivational insights, actionable strategies, and thought-provoking stories to help you take bold action toward your goals.
Join Dr. Chetan Walia every Tuesday as we challenge limits, ignite ideas, and transform dreams into realities. Whether you’re a professional, entrepreneur, or someone looking to level up, this is your space to shine.
Subscribe now and let’s unlock your brilliance—one episode at a time!
Being Brilliant
The Opposite of Belief is Because
What’s stopping you from taking that next big step toward your dreams? Often, it’s not the lack of ideas or talent—it’s the excuses we make, the “because” that creeps into our thoughts. In this episode of Being Brilliant, we dive into how excuses and justifications undermine belief, hold us back, and keep us from achieving brilliance.
Belief is the fuel for action. It’s the force that propels us forward, even when the path isn’t clear. But the word ‘because’? That’s the barrier, the justification we use to stay comfortable, avoid risk, and settle for less. Together, we’ll unpack this powerful idea and explore how to shift from limiting “because” thinking to empowering belief.
Join Dr. Chetan Walia as we discuss:
•Why excuses weaken our conviction and derail progress.
•How belief builds the foundation for success, action, and results.
•Simple strategies to silence the “because” and lean into your brilliance.
If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I can’t because…” this episode will challenge you to rethink, reframe, and reignite your potential. Because once you eliminate excuses, all that’s left is belief—and belief makes anything possible.
Subscribe now and tune in for this thought-provoking and motivational discussion. Take the first step toward unlocking your brilliance today.
Thank you for tuning into this episode of Being Brilliant. If this sparked something in you, subscribe, share, and leave a review to help others discover the show. Have questions or ideas? Reach out at hello@beingbrilliant.co or visit www.beingbrilliant.co. Let’s keep the brilliance alive!
Welcome to being Brilliant, the podcast designed to ignite your fire, challenge your limits and inspire you to take action like never before. Hello, I'm Chetan Walia, and each episode is your spark, a jolt of energy to move you from where you are to where you want to be. This isn't just about listening, it's about doing. It's about stepping into your brilliance, unleashing your potential and making every day a breakthrough. So if you're ready to rise, let's dive in and make it happen. In this episode, the opposite of belief is because we're diving into how excuses and justifications, those because moments can hold you back from achieving your true potential. Together, we'll uncover the power of belief, how to silence the because and start moving towards your brilliance. So let's begin. If you eliminate excuses from your vocabulary, then what is left is belief. But if you use this self-inflicted, harmful word called because, then who the hell are you kidding? You do not have belief, you have illusions of it. You see, the journey from where you are to where you want to be begins with desire, begins with belief and is dependent on conviction. And you know what the enemy of this conviction is. It is this word called because I couldn't do it, because I'm not good enough, because I can't get up in the morning, because I'm not making enough money. I'm stuck in life. I don't have the energy. Because what is wrong with you? Why are you doing this to yourself? You know there's a quote in the ancient scripture and it says this who you are is what your deep driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. And as your deed is, so is your destiny. Take this quote, stick it up your wall and print it in your brain. You are the desire, you are the commitment, you are the action, you are the destiny, you are the belief and you are the excuse, and it's always, always, always, your choice. The opposite of belief isn't disbelief. The opposite of belief is this word called because A 1986 Harvard study reveals that outstanding achievers have one thing in common.
Dr. Chetan Walia:Now, this was based on studies done with non-corporate professionals, such as outstanding musicians, teachers, parents, athletes, photographers, government employees and unusually effective political leaders athletes, photographers, government employees and unusually effective political leaders. The one thing in common all these people had was an absolute sense of mission. These people didn't go to work every day. They went on a mission. There was something they had to do. It was compelling, it was a deep-rooted desire. On the other end of this desire are people who gave up, or people who didn't even try. And you know why? Yeah, they found a because and in that reason they gave up a dream, and then another because, and another moment of inaction, and in no time these people forgot what belief felt like.
Dr. Chetan Walia:You may fool yourself into thinking that you have the belief, but, my friend, there is only one test, and the test is a simple question Do you have excuses in your life? And if you do, then that's not belief, that's an illusion. Have you seen champions, champions like Federer, muhammad Ali or Sachin Tendulkar, or Gandhi or Mandela? When they lose, it hurts. It hurts them, it hurts their fans. But you know what they don't say I lost because Because the field was wet, or because I overslept, or because my coach didn't turn up, because I ate bad food, or because I wasn't feeling good? No, none of that crap. They know that they are their destiny. So what do champions do? They fucking take 100% responsibility. They are back practicing the next morning with an eye on that prize. They don't make excuses. They use setbacks to make their beliefs stronger and not weaker. Beliefs reinforce desires, and desires can transform mediocrity into breakthroughs, and only desires can.
Dr. Chetan Walia:There is an old story and I'm told this is from the Bible. God was going to another country and he called three people and told them that since he's going away for a long time, he wants to distribute talents. He gave five talents to the first one, three to the second one and one talent to the third one. After a long time, god came back. He asked the first one how he used his talents. This man said he used it brilliantly and acquired five more as a result. The gore was so happy to learn this that he gave him ten more. The second one said I used my three talents and learned at least three more. Again, god was really happy, gave him six more. Now, obviously, the story is about this last guy. This one is like most of us. He told God how cruel he was to give him only one talent. He told God he favours others, but not him. He told God he had such few talents that there was no point in even using it. He told God, if only I was like the other two, even I could have done more. You see, this guy was the because guy. So you know what God did? God took away his talent because he did not use it.
Dr. Chetan Walia:The law says very clearly If we use what we've got, we'll be given more. The converse is also true. You don't use what you got, it goes away. You don't use your belief. You use because guess what stays in your life? It becomes a bloody because devoid of belief. And then you go on and you can blame life and blame God. But hey, you are the destiny dude.
Dr. Chetan Walia:Your belief gives you the attitude in your life. Your attitude shape how you feel about life and your feelings power your behavior into action. You see, there is the statement and it says as you believe, so shall be. And there couldn't be a more accurate philosophical truth in life. As you believe, so shall be, provided there is conviction in your belief. Yes, there will be setbacks, failures, disappointments, struggles. That's just life. But that's what conviction is. It's the power, the attitude, the answer, the hunger, the determination, and it overcomes everything. The faint-hearted discover the enemy of conviction, a wonderful cocoon called because. They see disappointment, they look for a because and life screams back oh, as you believe, so shall be. You believe in the because. Let me show you some more of it. And then you wonder why? Why does success elude me? My friends, success doesn't elude anyone. It follows your inner dialogue. You achieve what you believe.
Dr. Chetan Walia:There was Helen Keller. She couldn't see, she couldn't hear and she couldn't talk. One must believe in the situation that the life is over. Yet she was an incredible author. How she was an active voice in political opinions. How she lived a long life. She is admired as any philosopher that has walked the earth. How she lived a long life. She is admired as any philosopher that has walked the earth. How Desire has to be combined with something called intelligent ignorance. Ignore what you don't have, and desire alone can then defy logic. Helen Keller wrote this wonderful quote security is mostly a superstition.
Dr. Chetan Walia:It does not exist in nature, nor do children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Avoiding danger is no safer than outright exposure. Outright exposure is you standing in the middle of a highway and the truck driving at 120 miles per hour running over you? That's outright exposure. And Helen Keller says avoiding danger is no safer than that act. Life is not infinite. It will be over soon, you'll at most be remembered by one more generation. But you can dare to live. Follow your dreams, have the conviction, believe, do something special, and that's what Helen Keller is saying. Dare to live your adventure, or else you are the only one who is blind, deaf and mute, and not me.
Dr. Chetan Walia:Henry Ford, poor and uneducated, dreamed of a horseless carriage, went to work without waiting for an opportunity. He's obviously put more wheels to work than any man who ever lived. And he did it because he wasn't afraid to back his dreams. He did it because he didn't give up and he did it because he accepted. No, because you gotta ignore what you don't have and focus on what you do, and that's being intelligent. A great example of intelligence, ignorance, is the bumblebee. It's impossible for bumblebee to fly. The body is too heavy, the wings are too light. Any study that you read on the bumblebee will prove this. In any which way that you want, but you see, the bumblebee will prove this in any which way that you earn, but you see, the bumblebee doesn't read, it flies. The greatest bumblebee of all time was Thomas Edison.
Dr. Chetan Walia:He had only three months of professional schooling, grew up in poverty, single parent, totally deaf in one ear couldn't follow school ill health. But no, sir, he didn't say oh fuck, my life is a misery. Instead, you know what he said. He said wow, you miserable people, I can't hear you. Now let me build you a better world. He acquired an astounding 1093 patents.
Dr. Chetan Walia:Are you surviving or are you desiring? Are you reasoning or are you believing? Are you existing or are you living? Napoleon Hill, best-selling achievement author of all time, once wrote If the thing you wish to do is right and you believe it, go ahead and do it. Put your dream across, and never mind what they say. If you meet with temporary defeat for they perhaps do not know that, say if you meet with temporary defeat, for they perhaps do not know that Every failure with it brings the seed of an equivalent success.
Dr. Chetan Walia:People who achieve their desires, however big or small, do not quit on belief. They do not because their way around life, the non-achievers look for a secret. They look for a shortcut. They want to know how others did it. Well, my friend, here's the truth. The achievers believe they act and when they fail, they don't blame. They practice harder and they keep repeating it till they achieve it, because they got the conviction. There is nothing else to it. You got to have the conviction. I said so, so I will do it and I am responsible. I am the answer, I am the method, I am the means and I will keep going until I achieve it. And that is destiny in writing and it is destiny in motion.
Dr. Chetan Walia:Take the story of Demosthenes. Demosthenes is recognized as one of the greatest orators in Greek history. He scaled to oratory heights never equal before or after. What people came to realize much later was that at the time he was brought up, there was a law in the family that the inheritance left by the father, if it were challenged by anyone else in public debate, the winner got the fortune. Now Demosthenes had a speech difficulty. He was very shy, hesitant and as a result, he was embarrassed and humiliated in the debate. Not only did he lose his self-respect, he also lost his family fortune. But he did not lose his will. He worked hard, he practiced. He practiced standing in front of the ocean for hours and hours a day. He wanted to be louder and more heard than the waves. History recalls Demosthenes as going on to become the greatest orator in the world. At the time, history does not recall the name of the man who literally stole his fortune. They certainly have kept Demosthenes alive since they last saw him in the year 384.
Dr. Chetan Walia:Etch the words of Helen Keller in your mind and in your heart life is a daring adventure, or nothing. Believe, believe, believe, conviction, conviction, conviction, and so shall be. Thank you for joining me on this episode of being brilliant. Remember Gauthe's words whatever you can do or dream, you can begin it. Take the spark of inspiration and turn it into action. If this episode moved, you share it with someone who needs that spark, and don't forget to subscribe for more energy, insights and strategies. Let's keep the momentum alive together. Until next time, dream big, act boldly and keep being brilliant.
