Home
>
Success
>
Changing Your Mind Can Be a Wrestling Match

Changing Your Mind Can Be a Wrestling Match

If you've been walking this earth for any length of time, it must be pretty clear by now that if you want to make changes in your life, the first thing that needs to change is YOUR MIND! But here there's a problem - maybe a lot of problems - called LIMITING BELIEFS...ideas about yourself and the world that keep you from forging through change.

How often have you wrestled with some behavior or attitude that you know doesn't suit you? Why is it so hard to change it?

It starts for all of us in our heads -- with pessimistic thoughts -- and it moves to pessimistic or negative conclusions like, "I can't do that...it won't work!"

The real difficulty we all have with limiting beliefs is that we have so many of them...and we've had them for so long. They are, in part, the outcomes from the 20,000 or so "NO" or "NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY" criticisms we heard as young children.

These limiting beliefs -- "I can't," "they won't," "it won't work," "there's not enough," "I'M NOT ENOUGH" -- keep us, in a way, safe from having to do anything (because, after all, what's the use!?) but they set us up to be victims of our own self-fulfilling prophecies! In effect, our limiting beliefs assure that we won't get what we want. At the end of this article is an exercise on "Limiting Beliefs". It's called "Changing...Your Mind."

Notice that at the top of the page is the quotation, "You'll get exactly what you think, not what you deserve?but you'll deserve exactly what you think!"

What does that mean? Simply, it means that if you think negatively you'll get negative results?and you'll deserve them.

The only conclusion that makes sense, then, is: "If you believe you deserve something better, you'd better think something better!" And that, folks, is the essence of how the change process begins.

The first part of the exercise is to look at your current belief system...at the ideas that could get in the way of productive, positive change. Write down a list of negative ? or limiting ? beliefs that you hold right now. They can be about yourself, your work, your family. An example would be: "I can't get ahead on my job."

The opposite of a LIMITING BELIEF is -- and here's a word that's overused but in this context is absolutely appropriate -- an EMPOWERING BELIEF. It's really all about POWER -- personal power -- and at the bottom of it all is who we believe we ARE.

What will get us through major changes with the least discomfort and in the shortest time is a positive approach to the future.

Now, this is an unnatural state for some of us -- perhaps even for most of us -- because of how our society has set things up. Look, for instance at the educational system. How do we measure progress? We get GRADES and GET PROMOTED. We PASS or FAIL (ouch!)

And how about the media. What do we usually see on news broadcasts? BAD NEWS! Negative stuff.

And how do we feel about taxes, politics, traffic, crime and virtually every other facet of life today? We don't feel good. And nobody wants to be a Pollyanna, now, do they? It wouldn't fit with the society. So we go along with the crowd, and eventually we believe what they're saying and thinking...and it's pretty negative.

Once we're in this boat, it's difficult to get out of it. But for our purposes, getting out and getting on are the major objectives. So let's go back to what you wrote down as YOUR limiting beliefs. Now it's time for you to construct some contrary statements that can move you toward more personal power. Beneath each limiting belief you wrote down, write what you think would be an "Empowering Belief"...a Positive Statement that offsets the Limiting Belief you already hold All right, got it? Now you have a set of empowering statements. They're not beliefs YET, just statements that you can begin to work on as agents for change in your life.

Remember, part of the value of this exercise is what you do with it afte ryou've completed it. Be prepared to come back to it on your own and flesh it out as things come up for you.

What you're doing here is starting to change your mind. But this takes practice. Here's one way to do this.

On little 3 by 5 cards or "Post-It" notes, print in big letters your empowering beliefs -- one per card -- and post them somewhere?on your mirror, on the refrigerator, on a bulletin board, or on your computer (as I do).

You need to have them in your face time after time, day after day. And each time you invent a new one, make it the "belief of the week" and post it everywhere. You'll feel awkward with this at first, but hang in. It gets better. Looking at these reminders, day after day after day, will help you to reduce the struggle to change. You'll wrestle less with the challenges, and you'll see and feel the changes as they occur. Once you're confident that a belief has changed -- that you're actually doing things differently -- move that belief card to the top of your mirror. And each time you do this, give yourself a little reward. You've earned it. As this new behavioral/attitudinal pattern begins to take shape, you'll be surprised at how fast the belief cards will accumulate. Almost before you know it, the wrestling match will be over?and you'll be the winner.

- 30 -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2002, 2005 Optimum Performance Associates/Paul McNeese. Paul McNeese is CEO of Optimum Performance Associates, a consulting firm specializing in transitional and transformational change for individuals and institutions through publication. His publishing company, OPA Publishing, is an advocacy for self-publishing authors of informational, instructional, inspirational and insightful nonfiction. Email: pmcneese@opapublishing.com Websites: pmcneese@opapublishing.com and pmcneese@opapublishing.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

affordable house cleaning Wilmette ..

In The News:

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.

Gaia Family offers fixed upfront pricing for IVF cycles with unlimited embryo transfers and financial protection, partnering with over 100 U.S. fertility clinics.

The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.

Fake Geek Squad invoice emails are targeting users with convincing charges and urgent phone numbers to steal personal information and money.

Fox News Digital's artificial intelligence newsletter digs into a robot in Russia that faceplanted, George Clooney's alarm and OpenAI's rivalry with the New York Times.

Major data breach at Conduent exposes personal information of 10+ million people. Government contractor hit by cyberattack affecting Medicaid, child support systems.

Texas startup Janta Power raises $5.5M for innovative vertical solar towers that generate 50% more energy than traditional panels while using just one-third the land.

NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft launched aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket Thursday afternoon from Cape Canaveral, beginning their journey to Mars with arrival expected in 2027.

Learn how to set email reminders on iPhone and Android so you never forget to reply again. Simple built-in features help you stay organized and on top of messages.

Discover how Apple's passkeys revolutionize Mac security by replacing vulnerable passwords with biometric authentication and encryption for ultimate protection.

New survey reveals 78% of parents fear AI scams targeting their kids, yet nearly half haven't discussed these threats. Learn why this dangerous gap exists.

Chrome now autofills passport and driver's license info automatically. Google's latest browser update adds official document support with encryption and user control.

Scammers impersonate Department of Veterans Affairs employees claiming veterans owe money, but real VA communications only direct to VA.gov or official channels.

Changing Your Mind Can Be a Wrestling Match

Success