Believe your way to growth

In 2010, I stood up in front of a room full of strangers and gave my first presentation as an analyst.

About two minutes in, I had this strange out-of-body experience, and a thought crashed into my brain…

“Holy shit David…what are you doing, talking to these people about this subject…?”

Imposter syndrome had struck at a particularly inopportune moment.

I muddled my way through the rest of the preso, but I knew I had some work to do on my outlook.

The belief that I wasn’t good enough to be imparting insights to others was going to be problematic in the career I’d chosen!

And that, dear friend, is the topic for this week’s Connect the Dots.

Beliefs play a huge role in our lives, shaping the choices we make and the paths we follow.?

But to truly thrive and reach your potential, you must understand them and recognise when they’re working for and against you.?

Harness your beliefs and you have the power to achieve more than you ever thought possible.

The truth about your beliefs

What many of us fail to recognise is that our beliefs are neither innate nor immutable.

They’re moulded over time through a complex interplay of experience, upbringing, and societal influence.?

Limiting beliefs act as self-imposed barriers that hinder our progress, often stemming from our childhood events or external judgments.?

Remember your 3rd-grade teacher saying you couldn’t concentrate in class, or you had trouble working in groups, or that maths wasn’t your strong suit?

If you’re still holding on to any of that stuff, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

But the great news is you don’t have to carry any of that baggage with you after today.

Why?

Because you have complete control over every belief you hold, and you get to choose whether to keep it, bin it, or transform it into something completely different.

The benefits of shifting mindset

What happens when we allow ourselves to be led blindly by our beliefs?

Well, we risk constraining our potential.?

Limiting beliefs can shackle our creativity, stifle our ambitions, and limit the scope of our success.?

They’re like invisible chains that hold us back from reaching our goals.

Conversely, studies show how adopting an optimistic and curious outlook on life can lead to improved cognitive function, reduced stress levels, and enhanced problem-solving abilities.?

These are the neurological changes that pave the way for personal and professional success.

That’s how powerful this stuff is, so it’s worth being aware of some key principles surrounding beliefs that derive from an approach known as Neurolinguistic Programming (or NLP):

1. Beliefs act as filters: beliefs are not just passive ideas but active filters through which we interpret the world. They influence what we perceive and how we react to people and situations around us.
2. Limiting vs. empowering: NLP distinguishes between limiting beliefs that hold us back and empowering beliefs that propel us forward. Recognizing this distinction is pivotal for personal growth.
3. Beliefs can be self-fulfilling prophecies: our beliefs often translate into reality. If you believe you're destined for success, you'll naturally gravitate towards actions that lead you to that outcome. By contrast, if you believe you're bound to fail, you may unwittingly sabotage your efforts through your own confirmation bias.

Try this tool out

So that’s what beliefs can do for you, but the important question you might be asking is how to do something about them if you think they’re not working in your favour.

One powerful technique that can help is called "reframing."?

Reframing involves changing the way you perceive a situation, idea, or belief, by altering the context or viewpoint.

When confronted with a limiting belief, you can reframe it by asking questions like, "What if this belief were untrue?" or "How does this situation from a different angle?"?

By doing this, you create cognitive shifts that can lead to more empowering beliefs.

For instance, if your limiting belief is that you're not good enough for a promotion at work, reframe it by asking, "What skills and experiences do I have that make me a strong candidate?"?

This shift in perspective can help you see your potential and worth more clearly.

When I had my crisis of confidence in 2010, I didn’t know it, but I began reframing in a similar sort of way.

I told myself the experience I had as a buyer could be hugely valuable to a supplier. I concentrated on my passion for public speaking and, importantly, did a stock take on the skills I felt I needed to work on.

In other words, I reframed by recognising I brought a lot to the table, understood my gaps, and had a plan to bridge them.

Whatever you choose to do, your beliefs travel with you like a compass steering you through your life's journey. They have the power to point you toward success or hold you back at base camp, so you might as well make sure they point to your true North., mightn't you?

Recognize the origins of your beliefs, embrace the art of reframing, and you’ll be astounded at the potential you unleash for yourself.

And above all, remember, it is not the beliefs that shape you; it’s you who must shape your beliefs.