The Secret to Success: Self-Belief

“All you need is the courage to believe in yourself and put one foot in front of the other." - Katherine Switzer

In 2020, Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to run a sub-2hr marathon, the once holy grail in athletics and the equivalent to the “four-minute mile” of our time.

Prior to this achievement, Simon Angus wrote an interesting article, using statistical analysis, doubting if Kipchoge could go under this phenomenal barrier. But Angus left out on critical factor - the power of selfbelief - a trait common to all great achievers.

The Power of Self-Belief

The Power of self-belief is one of the brain’s most amazing powers. Self-belief works to expand the sense of what is possible. Great self-belief creates an inner dialogue about our self-worth, promoting within us, confidence in our ability to achieve. It is projected in our mood, the way we speak, behave, carry ourselves, and even how we relate to others. We only need to look at Muhamad Ali as a prime example.

Unfortunately, for many of us, we are hampered by the limiting beliefs imposed upon us by others, such as parents, employers, and society at large.

When I see elephants in Asian holiday trips, it constantly reminds me of how limited self-belief can become when one is trained into it. Baby elephants are chained to ensure they don't get away, and as they grow older they've come to accept this as their norm. When they become fully-grown, they can easily break away from human-made chains. However, they've become so conditioned to being chained that they don't even question it. Sounds familiar?

Just like the elephants, we tie ourselves down and only believe in “realistic” goals, which limits our potential ability and restrict our dreams.

What stops us from believing??

A "belief" is how we allow our minds to acknowledge the right way to see the world around us, or what we decide to be true. Just because we see something a certain way, it does not necessarily mean that is the way it truly is. It’s like believing that “White men can’t sprint”, or the sub 2- hour marathon barrier, beliefs are passed on from others, and what we perceive from the world around us. In most cases, they are not based on better judgment or truth. Think about how many beliefs you have acquired that were passed on from your parents; that Holden is better than Ford; or from friends; that Vue de Monde is the best restaurant in Melbourne.

Like Kipchoge, you need to be able to challenge, change, and control those beliefs so you can see your dreams and goals come to fruition

Signs of good Self-Belief are:

• The willingness to accept new challenges
• Confidence in expressing your ideas or thoughts
• Knowing what you want from life.

Unfortunately, there are no magic scales to measure self-belief – wouldn’t it be great if we could measure it??

3 Tips to Build Your Self-Belief?

Now is the ideal time to turn our thoughts to our dreams and goals for the future and what that may look like.

Athletes can teach us so much about dreaming big and achieve those goals. We only need to look at those who succeed at the highest level; every personal best and/or Olympic medal was the result of many years of hard work, dedication, and one other common trait; the ability to dream big and be bold. And because of this ability, many of these successful athletes will go on to to be both leaders in the world outside of sport.

Our ability to dream big is fundamental to achieving success.

1. Dreaming Big - it works to help you overcome your limiting beliefs Beliefs dictate the reality you create, while dreams help you shift from your current reality something greater. By following your dreams, you challenge your old beliefs and soon enough you will start creating new beliefs. Therefore, you should ensure that make up your mind to dream big in your life.

Make your dreams a reality?

2. Believe with Clarity

Muhammad Ali always knew he wanted to be a world champion and it was this clarity that gave him the utmost conviction with all that he pursued in life. This clarity spilled over into his own identity, giving him the empowerment to change his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali. But it was in preparation for a big fight that his clarity was at its strongest. When scheduled for a fight, he would pin down his goals with crystal clear clarity, breaking down each step required to achieve his desired vision.

“I can do this, I will do this, I believe in me and my dream; nothing can stop me, it’s my life’s mission.”

3. Know your "WHY"

Motivation is all about having a big enough ‘why’ or reason for doing something. If you have a big enough ‘why’, you will find a way to accomplish it. A big enough ‘why’ will keep you focused, pursuing excellence and chasing your dreams

"A goal should scare you a little and excite you a lot."?

WHAT ARE YOU AIMING FOR?