Last week, on a cold, dark Friday night I stood barefoot outside a large exhibition centre in the heart of London preparing to walk the 3 most difficult metres of my life. Why were they going to be the most difficult? In between me and my destination was a bed of red hot, burning coals.

I starting breathing deeply, reciting the mantra I'd been taught - "cool moss, cool moss" and took a step forward onto the coals. Before I knew it I had reached the other side and completed my first firewalk.

It was an awesome feeling! Thanks to Tony Robbins (the motivational guru who was running the event) over 10,000 of us walked over hot coals unscathed that night. And what it all came down to was one thing - BELIEF. I believed that I was going to make it across un-hurt - otherwise why else would I have done it, right?

Are Your Beliefs Pushing You Forward Or Holding You Back?

Your belief about something - that is - your feeling of TOTAL and absolute CERTAINTY about something can be the difference between failure and success. Now I've been in this Internet Marketing game for years now and there are many different sets of beliefs that I witness. Some of these beliefs are limiting whilst other beliefs are empowering. Are any of the following things that you might say?

5 Limiting Beliefs You MUST AVOID

Limiting Belief No. 1

"I believe that you need a huge budget to make it big on the Internet and be successful"

Limiting Belief No. 2

"I believe that the well-known company that's my nearest competitor is untouchable and I'm just small fry."

Limiting Belief No. 3

"I believe if I have a great website with great products and great service then customers will beat a path to my door."

Limiting Belief No. 4

"I believe I can get to the top of the search engines by spending just 2 days learning about it."

Limiting Belief No. 5

"I believe there is nothing to this website marketing game. Just build a few links and success will be mine."

6 Empowering Beliefs You MUST HAVE

Empowering Belief No. 1

"I believe in commitment to constant learning and enthusiasm for my product and my website will win through in the end."

Empowering Belief No. 2

"I believe if I spend many hours marketing my website every single week it will eventually pay off."

Empowering Belief No. 3

"I believe that seizing the entire concept of the Internet and building a community of connected partners and allies on the web will bring me success."

Empowering Belief No. 4

"I believe that an all-round focus on search engines, choosing the right key phrases, links and email marketing will grow my sales dramatically."

Empowering Belief No. 5

"I believe that giving away first and taking afterwards will prove to my customers, prospects and partners that my business model is sound and I will be richly rewarded."

Empowering Belief No. 6

"I believe that if I am to be truly successful online my website needs to be A PART of my business not APART FROM it."

"I Saw Her Face, Now I'm A Believer"

If you don't absolutely and honestly believe that your website will be a rip-roaring success guess what? It won't be.

If you believe that the web is for everyone else and not for your business because your business is 'different' - you will get left behind. Some business owners thought the same way when the phone came along and then the fax and email after that. How long do you think they lasted or how quickly they fell behind?

If you believe that the Internet is here to stay and offers a massive opportunity for your business both now and in the future regardless of the effort and investment it takes to seize this opportunity - congratulations! You've just reached the other side of those hot coals of doubt.

Michael Cheney is Author of The Website Marketing BibleTM. Take the Free 7-Part Course "Internet Marketing Made Easy" and get your free sampler of 'The Bible' here: http://www.websitemarketingbible.com/marketing/