We all have an inner voice that either supports – or undercuts – our pursuit of goals. Success often boils down to how we react to this inner voice. At RX Medical, a family of healthcare businesses, our teams understand the importance of strengthening mind-sets and increasing overall well-being. Its why we encourage our staff to let go of limiting beliefs and/or actions that do not serve our team or advance our cause. Change is not always easy and letting go of limiting beliefs takes practice. If ensuring our inner voice stays positive (actions that can lead to increased energy and a better sense of self), what are some ways we can learn to separate what we hear in our head from the actions we take?
Of the 6,000+ thoughts we have each day, about 70% are negative says author Julia Pimsleur in her publication, Go Big Now, 8 Essential Mindset Practices to Overcome Any Obstacle and Reach Your Goals. To counter pessimistic thoughts, Pimsleur suggests acknowledging good things in our lives and taking time daily to seize a spirit of gratitude. When we list the things that are going well, we’re more likely to take positive actions which can bring us closer to reaching our goals. Most people believe “life happens to them,” but Pimsleur reminds us that we are the ones who determine how we will live – including how we will respond when events occur which are beyond our control. “Living at cause, not effect” says Pimsleur means we are in control of our thoughts, emotions, actions, and behaviors.
Let Go of Limiting Beliefs
To let go of limiting beliefs, Pimsleur suggests writing them down along with their opposing beliefs (example: “I’ll never be ready for a promotion” to “I will ask my manager to discuss areas of opportunity with me and work on strengthening those skills”.). Pimsleur recommends documenting 10 steps you can take to put the new belief into action. Once you identify the new belief and work towards trusting in it, new ideas will begin to take root. While a negative mind-set might put checks on your life, strengthening positive beliefs can help you get closer to achieving the goals you want.
Managing Obstacles
In the process of discarding old beliefs, we all encounter some obstacles – barriers that will try to prevent us from reaching new goals. We may even find after documenting each goal, that we’ve decided we don’t really want to make the changes identified. If we find ourselves stuck, Pimsleur suggests re-examining each goal again. Do we really want to run a marathon or hire an extra seven people to our team? Use discernment to explore whether the goal is in alignment with what we really seek or, if this barrier is just a mere bump in the road. Reframe obstacles by practicing the process of not reacting to a situation until we fully digest or understand more data points.
Managing Conflicting Commitments
Another challenge that can arise as we work to let go of limiting beliefs is conflicting commitments. Perhaps we want to do a speaking tour (but we don’t want to be away from our children). Confront the two seemingly opposing ideas to explore workable solutions. Ideally, we are searching for an option that honors both commitments. Sometimes stress or complications can overtake our enthusiasm and when that happens, take a moment to identify what UNTRUTHS our inner voice might be feeding us and continue to push forward.
“Anything good you have in your life is the result of an empowering belief. It’s a virtuous cycle.” – Julia Pimsleur
Practice Self-care
High-achieving people sometimes find it hard to be compassionate with themselves or practice consistent self-care says Pimsleur. Learning to take better care of ourselves, especially when trying to achieve a new or difficult goal, might include getting sufficient exercise, sleep, and committing to better nutrition can help. Don’t let limiting beliefs sabotage success. Focus on the good things and stay positive – these actions can foster a solid foundation for new breakthroughs to occur.
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE: What limiting beliefs do you need to let go of?
Brandon Rouse leads a diverse and growing team of professionals well-versed in the challenges facing healthcare today. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, Brandon’s experienced team represents various technological and innovative medical solutions. ZB RX Medical and RX Medical are direct distributors of Zimmer Biomet.