At this time of the year many set New Year Resolutions – things we have every intention of carrying out (often around diet and exercise)! The reality is if they last longer than the end of January you are doing well. In life, if you want to achieve something, you need to be clear about what you want to achieve, by when, and how you are going to get there. In other words, you need to set goals. One of the reasons you may not achieve them is to do with your beliefs.
“Many people are passionate, but because of their limiting beliefs about who they are and what they can do, they never take actions that could make their dream a reality.” – Tony Robbins
When our goals don’t line up with our beliefs, either positively or negatively, there will be resistance in our own minds that means we will sabotage their fulfilment. This leads to what is known as “dissonance.” Our minds cannot cope with dissonance so it will often look to resolve the dissonance by rejecting the goal. It could be that you set a goal around public speaking or publishing a book, however if your belief is saying ‘no-one would want to listen to me’ or ‘no-one would want to read my book’, you may end up in a state of dissonance and eventually reject this goal.
The good news is you can train your mind to change the belief. When you have alignment, you are much more likely to achieve your goals.
Effective Mind Hacks
- You must be clear on what your self-limiting belief is. Write it down.
- Decide how much you want to achieve the goal that you have set. What will it mean to you if you achieve it?
- Think about a new belief – write down what your new belief is. Often it is the opposite of your current self-limiting belief.
- Put the new belief somewhere you can see it, somewhere you can be constantly reminded.
- Be accountable to someone to track your progress.
My Story
Even though I have many years of experience and the right skills to do the roles I’ve been in, I often found myself wrestling with imposter syndrome. My mind would keep telling me: ‘there are more qualified people here to do this, they are more intelligent than me…’.. In reality, I was sabotaging my own success.
If I gave way to this belief, it could at times be paralysing, meaning that I wasn’t taking the risks that needed to be taken and stunting my own business growth potential. The answer is not to make excuses but to make what is happening visible. Once you realise what your own mind is doing you can take action to change the result. You have to change the narrative.
Change
To get a different result requires you to change what you are thinking.
“Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” George Bernard Shaw
Change can be challenging, however if the place you are travelling to is compelling enough you will do the hard work of forming a new belief or changing your goal.
Let me encourage you to face your limiting beliefs which are often born of fears you have formed through negative experiences. In dealing with your limiting beliefs you can better realise your potential.
Here’s to your success.
Stay safe.
