What’s in your field of focus? Are you focused on opportunities or obstacles? Whatever the answer, I’m willing to bet that’s exactly what you’re finding in your life. Why? Because I’m a big believer in the universal law that states, “What you focus on expands.” Put another way, your field of focus determines what you find in life. If you focus on opportunities, you’ll find them. Focus on obstacles and you’ll find those.

Of course, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t address problems. When they arise, handle them and then quickly refocus on your vision. By doing so, you’ll be more likely to take risks. Your attention will be where it belongs—in the game.

But these days even the most confident risk-takers among us might be feeling less optimistic than usual. Despite recent economic growth, for a lot of people confidence is still low. Ask yourself how the effects of the economic downturn may have changed your filter. Are you more problem-oriented than you are solution-oriented? Are you constantly scanning a situation for what could go wrong? Do you find yourself asking, “What if this doesn’t work?”

If so, consider this: Being willing to take a risk doesn’t necessarily mean being willing to lose. By doing your research, you can make educated decisions on solid information. The key is to do it in as short a time as possible and then go for it or quit whining about it!

If you’ve been preparing to take advantage of an opportunity for weeks, months or even years, you’re probably not preparing as much as you are stalling. And while you’re stalling, that opportunity is likely to disappear.

I have a motto: Action always beats inaction. To grow your level of success, you have to get started. Trust that once you do, you can make intelligent decisions in the moment and adjust your sails along the way. You can’t prepare for every problem that might occur and protect yourself.

In fact, the secret to success is not to try to get rid of or shrink from your problems. The secret is to grow yourself so that you are bigger than any problem.

Think of yourself as a container for wealth. If your container is small and your money is big, what’s going to happen? You will lose it. You simply cannot have more money than the container will hold. Therefore, you must grow to be a big container so you can hold and attract more wealth.

One of the not-so-subtle reminders I give participants at my Millionaire Mind Intensive seminars is this: Whenever you feel like you’ve got a big problem, point to yourself and scream, “mini me!” That will abruptly move your attention back to where it belongs—yourself. Then take a deep breath and decide that you will be a bigger person and not allow any problem to take you out of the game.

Take action now:

• Consider a situation or project you’ve wanted to start. Whatever you’ve been waiting for, forget it. Begin now from wherever you are with whatever you’ve got.
• Practice optimism. Today, whatever anyone says is a problem or an obstacle, reframe it into an opportunity.
• Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t have. If you don’t appreciate what you’ve got, you won’t get any more.

Remember this: Your wealth can only grow to the extent that you do.