Now we all know people who have plenty of talent, opportunity, and knowledge, and they haven't done anything with it. Or what they have done hasn't amounted to much. Why is this? Mainly it's because of what are called "self-limiting" beliefs. And it doesn't matter how they began or how long they've been there, once those beliefs take hold, they are guaranteed to keep you from being all you can be.
Eliminate Self-Limiting Beliefs
Ironically, most self-limiting beliefs have no basis in fact or reality, but we put them on every day because over time they become our "comfort clothes". They make us feel a strong sense of certainty about things which simply aren't true. You probably hold a number of self-limiting beliefs right now. And until you root them out and destroy them, they'll be running the show called "your life". Start listing them now.
A typical self-limiting belief is "I don't deserve success." Perhaps you tell yourself you haven't paid your full dues. Maybe the boss told you he can't promote you because you've only been in the role for a year (that's a lie by the way, but I'll explain why another time). Or perhaps you've been telling yourself you are too young. There are a million ways self-limiting beliefs interfere with our success plans. What we're looking at here is how you become "wired to win."
Frankly, the world is full of people who think in terms of why something can't happen or can't be done. And let me tell you, they are absolutely no fun to work with! But successful people just don't think like this. They never focus on why something won't work or can't work. Instead, they focus on what they have to do and what they need to have in order to "make it happen." This is where you want to train yourself to be, too.
There is magic in belief. And the magic is in "I can". Nothing succeeds without the power of belief behind it. So, you can do all the right things, but if you don't believe, nothing will happen. That's because what we believe triggers us to act and react as we believe.
Our beliefs are formed by repetition. Most people wait until after repeatedly experiencing a certain outcome to form beliefs about related situations and events. That's where 97% of people are and will likely stay. Whereas successful people (the 3% you want to be part of) form their beliefs about outcome before anything happens. They don't wait until they have a reason to believe. That's how they use the magic of belief to break through any and all self-imposed limitations.
The Magic of Belief
Here is a story that illustrates the magic of belief. It takes place in 1967, but is just as relevant today.
There was a young girl of 13. She absolutely believed it was her destiny to have a career in information technology. In 1967, it was a widely held belief that women did not have the aptitude for technology and were not emotionally stable enough to join the ranks of management. (We've come a long way haven't we?)
It was also a requirement to have a high school diploma to be admitted into schools offering programs in technology. Nonetheless, this young girl was so certain of her calling and her future, she applied anyway. And was promptly rejected three times in a row. After the third rejection, the school called. They wanted to know why she continued to apply when it was clear she didn't meet the pre-requisites for admission.
She said, "I know I can do this. And I deserve to be given a chance at it!" She proposed that she be allowed to take the entrance exam, with the agreement that if she passed, all other entry requirements would be waived and she would be allowed into the program. That's how strong she believed! And the school (believing she could never pass) agreed.
She took the exam and got the highest score recorded at that point. They kept their part of the bargain, and let her in. And so, for two years, while simultaneously attending high school, she completed all the courses needed to earn that all-important diploma required to begin an entry-level career in information technology.
After graduation, she went after every possible job in the field and did not stop interviewing until she got one. (There were many dozens of rejections!) On starting her first summer job, she made it her business to learn every aspect of data center operations, in addition to becoming one of the top performers in her own role. Her co-workers thought she was crazy. But the head of the company took notice, as did other members of the senior management team.
When it was time to return to high school in the fall (grade 11), she took a full-time evening shift position with the company and maintained the same high levels of on-the-job performance without sacrificing her academic results. And the next summer, when she reported for work, despite being the youngest person in the company (at age 17), she was offered the opportunity of a lifetime — to lead a major technology implementation. The job was done so well that she received a letter of commendation stating that not a single customer of the bank she worked for even knew there was any kind of change to their processing. To this day, no other person that young has equaled her success in managing a project of such magnitude. It was a great way to kick off what would go on to become an amazing career.
Think Your Way to Your Destiny
What have you decided about yourself and your situation? Do you believe in yourself? Do you believe you deserve to be great? That you deserve to have it all? Think carefully before you answer. Many quickly answer "yes", but their choices, actions, behaviors, and results tell a very different story.
The amazing thing is that you have the power to change your beliefs any time you want. All you have to do is decide to believe (and therefore behave) differently. Believe you are successful now, without waiting for external proof. As you believe, so you will be.
Here are some very simple ways you can get started immediately:
- Take inventory. Conduct a reality check on beliefs you currently hold that are holding you back.
- Counter the list. For every self-limiting belief, write out a new one you could hold that neutralizes it.
- Review often. Put your new beliefs on a small index card that you read frequently during the day.
- Make this a minimum of 3x a day (i.e., when you get up in the morning, before you go to bed at night, and one or more other times during the day that suit — but the more the better).
- Act "as if" — throughout the day, behave as if you've already mastered the new belief. Think of it only in terms of "I am," not "I want to be" or "I will be." Be sure to keep all your thoughts in present tense.
About the Author
Internationally renowned business strategist, uber mentor and M.B.A. Professor Linda M. Lopeke is the creator of SmartStart virtual mentoring programs — the fastest, easiest way to super-size your career success.
