These 4 Words Can Be Life Altering

I believe in you.

“The world is full of miracles but none greater than how far a young person can be carried by someone else’s belief in them.”
~ Fredrik Backman, My Friends

That line from the book stopped me in my tracks.

Because it is not really about young people. It is about belief. About what happens when someone is seen clearly and championed early, before the outcome is obvious, before confidence has fully formed, before the world has had a chance to narrow what feels possible.

As someone who has spent a career discovering and developing talent from the far corners of the globe, I have seen firsthand how far belief can carry someone.

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Years ago, we were in Brazil scouting performers for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.  We were there to see a troupe of acrobats who, if I am honest, I barely remember now but who I do remember is Paolo Dos Santos. A little person with a big presence working in a very small circus. From the moment he entered the ring, his energy pulled focus. Not because he was loud or flashy, but because his optimism, charisma, and joy were undeniable. I remember thinking that while Paolo was small in stature, his presence could transcend scale. That his energy would reach the audience member sitting in the highest row of the arena. That he would not just perform, but create a feeling people would carry with them long after the show ended.

Paolo did not speak English, but it did not matter. He communicated through his talent, physicality, and spirit in a way that bypassed language entirely. By noticing him and believing in him, it set him on a new course. We collaborated on physical feats and moments of humor that highlighted his strengths. He became a magnetic presence in the show, not only by design, but by how he designed himself. The joy we saw in that first encounter carried through everything he did, onstage and backstage. He emerged as a natural leader among his fellow performers, respected by the crew and staff, and beloved by audiences.

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Over time, I watched that joy get paid forward. To fellow performers. To audiences around the country. And eventually to his beautiful children, who were born while he was working with us. The belief did not stop with him. It multiplied.

That same truth runs quietly through My Friends where an adolescent group of friends place their belief fully and selflessly in their artist friend. They know his work belongs in a museum among the greats, even when he does not yet see it in himself. So they hold the belief for him until he can.  And then he places that belief in another, and then she does too. It multiplied.

What I have learned over time is that belief is not just emotional. It is a professional accelerant.

In the workplace, belief often shows up as sponsorship before someone feels ready. A leader who puts a name forward. A manager who says, “I trust you with this.” A colleague who advocates for someone when they are not in the room. Careers rarely move forward on talent alone. They move forward when talent is noticed, named, and backed.

When people feel believed in, they take more risks. They stretch. They stay in the room longer. Belief changes behavior and behavior changes trajectory.

I see this most clearly with my own children. The simple words “I love you and I believe in you” do something physical. I watch it happen in real time. Their posture shifts. Doubt takes up less space and willingness moves forward. I see it most vividly in my daughter. Her entire body language changes. She stands up straighter. She manifests her own greatness, not because it was handed to her, but because belief gave her permission to access what was already there.

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As leaders, friends, colleagues, and parents, I keep coming back to this question. What if we spent more time championing others? What if we said the belief out loud? What if we trusted that it might set something in motion we cannot yet see? What if it is a selfless act we can do for someone else when they need it most?

The world may be full of miracles. But belief might be the one we can offer someone every single day.

From Your Biggest Champion (who believes in you),

Nicole