“Life is best described metaphorically as continuously transitioning through each of the four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall,” says DeLores Pressley. “Truly successful people are not those who try to avoid certain seasons, but rather are those who choose to embrace, overcome, and thrive as they seamlessly flow between seasons, regardless of how long or difficult each one may be. And, successful people don’t just overcome the difficult season of winter, but actually thrive during the harsh cold; they also blossom throughout the spring; reap a lush harvest during the summer; and adequately prepare for the fall and winter that inevitably follow. Such cyclical expectations and preparations are mindsets that are key to sustained and ‘against the odds’ success.”

As America’s leading expert on helping individuals live “the best season of their life,” DeLores now teaches others how to be bold, confident and courageous—no matter what “season” they themselves are in—to overcome obstacles and excel.

Here are five tips from DeLores on how to be confident and courageous through every season of your own life:

Fuel future successes with past achievements. No matter where you are in your career or life, you have undoubtedly done something that has made an impact. Not every past achievement needs to be as profound as something like saving a life, find those times you made a difference in the world and know that you can do it again.
Regularly invest in "The Power of You." A great way to create a visual bank of your accomplishments is to make deposits in what I call, “The Power of You Jar.” Then any time you’re feeling bad or doubting yourself, just reach into the jar and get that reminder of what you’ve already accomplished.
Channel your inner prize fighter. You can learn a lot from boxers. They spend three minutes fighting each round and 60 to 90 seconds resting. They have a whole training team that is supporting them and speaking life into them. Any doubt during a fight could lead to a knock out. Yet we allow negative people in our corners all the time - people who are not encouraging and people who don’t help us.
Cease self-doubt with an actual "Stop" sign. After even the best motivational seminars, the principles you've learned and the changes you want to make often quickly fade in following weeks or months. If you want to stop thinking negatively, get an actual stop sign - it doesn't have to be full sized, just big enough to be a reminder. Put it in your office, your bedroom, or wherever it needs to be visible.
Don’t outsource your success. In an era where outsourcing is very popular, everything from manufacturing jobs to administrative duties are being outsourced. One thing you must not outsource is your success. If you have achieved something, surmounted an obstacle, or had any sort of triumph, take credit for it. If you find yourself saying, "It was nothing," or "I didn't really do much," people will believe it.