What If…?

What if this doesn’t work?

That’s what most people think. They hesitate, they doubt, and they let fear creep in.

But I never asked that. I never let doubt take control.

Instead, I asked the optimistic kind of what-if:
What if this could go even further?
What if I push a little harder?
What if I take just one more risk?

Brave for Freedom by Jonathan Matei | Available on Barnes&Noble

When I first started writing my book, it wasn’t strangers who doubted me and tried to stop me—it was the people closest to me.

Those who loved me enough to protect me from what they feared for my future.

The ones who thought they knew me inside and out.

It was almost like my own inner critic had been duplicated in them.

Don’t do it. You’re not consistent enough.

You have to be famous to become an author.

No one will take you seriously unless you already have a name. It takes years—why even try?

And they weren’t wrong—it did take years. Six years, to be exact.

But instead of letting that stop me, I kept going.

I built momentum, gained experience, and proved that time wasn’t a barrier—it was a process.

Am I alone in this, or can anyone else relate?

Because here’s the truth: if you don’t think it’s going to happen, it won’t.
It really is that simple.

No overcomplications. No excuses. Just reality.

If you tell yourself it’s impossible, you’ve already lost.
You’ve already closed the door before it even had a chance to open.

But if you believe—even just a little bit—you give yourself a fighting chance.

---

You Are the Thermostat of Your Own Life

Think of yourself like a thermostat.

A thermostat doesn’t just react to the temperature—it sets the temperature.

You can decide:
"I want this to happen."
You can turn the dial up or down.
You can adjust, recalibrate, push forward, or hold yourself back.

And it all starts with the words you tell yourself.

✔️ “This is going to work.”
✔️ “I can do this.”
✔️ “I will make this happen.”

Or…

❌ “This will never happen.”
❌ “It’s too hard.”
❌ “I’ll never be good enough.”

What you say becomes what you see.
What you believe becomes your reality.

So ask yourself—are you turning the dial in the right direction?

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Other People’s Opinions Are Not Your Reality

People will tell you:
"It’s not possible."
"It’s too hard."
"It’ll take too long."
"Someone like you can’t do something like that."

But that’s their opinion.
That’s their experience.
That’s their mindset.

Not yours.

What didn’t work for them might work for you.

Their fears? They don’t have to be yours.
Their doubts? They don’t belong to you.
Their limits? You don’t have to accept them.

Because the only person who gets to decide what’s possible for you… is you.

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Work With What You Have—Right Now.

We get caught up in the next thing. The next step. The next hour.

But what if you just worked with this moment?

Because the next hour? It’s not even promised.

All you have is now.
This minute.
This small window of time in front of you.

And this moment is enough.

You don’t need to know how it all works out.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You just need to take what you have and work with it.

If you can be intentional with just one moment, you can build something bigger than you ever imagined.

✔️ One moment at a time.
✔️ One small decision at a time.
✔️ One small what-if at a time.

Because the truth is, this moment is all you’ll ever truly have.

So give yourself the positive what-ifs for the moment you’re in right now.

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Doubt or Curiosity? The Choice is Yours.

I’ve never let doubt drive me.

Curiosity? That’s different.

Curiosity makes you wonder.
It makes you ask, What if this actually works?
It makes you push further, dream bigger, and take that extra step.

It’s what separates those who try from those who stay stuck.

And here’s something to think about—

There’s something big you’ve been wanting to do.
Something beyond yourself.
Something that could outlive you and impact others.

Maybe someone told you it couldn’t be done.

And that’s where most people stop.

But their perspective isn’t yours.
Their experiences, their mindset, and their limitations aren’t yours.

What didn’t work for them might work for you.

And if you let curiosity fuel you…
If you choose to believe just a little more than you doubt…
If you refuse to let hesitation win…

You just might prove them wrong.

So tell me—what if you made it happen?

Until next time,

Jonathan Matei

Author of Brave for Freedom