Unleashing Our Own Potential

Resources Worth Understanding

I shared a post some time back on Facebook from Forbes.com called ‘The 18 Things Mentally Strong People Do’ by Amy Morin.  I keep a copy of the list in my office and when I hit a bump – low energy, dissatisfied with something, or generally not focused the way I’d like to be, I let my eyes run over the list.  Invariably one of those points jumps out at me.  I try to take 5 minutes to just think about it.

It’s amazing how long 5 minutes can seem when you have a pile of work on your desk!  But I always come away with a new outlook. A stronger outlook and a clearer direction.  I’ve decided to take each one in random turn – as they jump out at me – to share here in the blog how I’ve used them.

Today’s ‘Mentally Strong People’ thought is:

15) They expend their mental energy wisely; they don’t spend time on unproductive thoughts.

The Thoughts in Our Heads

WOW!  It seems that the voices in my head were programmed by a French sportscaster; the kind that shouts into the microphone constantly – what I like to call HVHV – high volume, high velocity. And highly limiting; I haven’t prepared enough, I’m not credible here, what if they don’t call me…

By far the majority are unproductive thoughts.

I see this repeatedly as it is the main anchor of resistance in many clients and the students I work with as well.  They don’t believe it’s possible, they don’t believe they are good enough, there’s no work, there aren’t enough resources, there’s no time… Maybe it’s worth spending just a bit of time here…

Unfortunately our thoughts determine our beliefs, which determine our behavior.

The point is that we can choose our thoughts.  Yes really we can! And what we choose will impact our beliefs, and therefore our actions. One of the underlying wisdoms for me here is the concept of awareness – the awareness of what we are actually thinking, and the power it has over our lives.

So What About Us?

So I’m training myself (and my students and clients) to be aware of the thoughts in our heads.  To dare to question:

• Are they helping me or hindering me?

After validating that those thoughts are there and the impact they have on behavior, it’s time to take A BOLD STEP!

What would be possible if I thought something else?

Example

I have a speech to give and I ‘know’ I always get nervous and forget my main points.  I won’t be able to breath, and I will appear nervous and everyone will feel uncomfortable – me as well as my audience.

Now what?

Step back.

Breath and relax the shoulder and neck muscles.

Questions:

• Do I ALWAYS forget my main points? No
• Do I OFTEN forget my main points? No
• Do I sometimes forget a main point? Yes

And then what do I do?  I move forward to the next point.

How would it feel going into a speech if I thought:  I have something I really want to share with my audience.  I love connecting with people and sharing a subject I’m passionate about.  People are here because they’re interested in what I have to say? That mindset brings an entirely different energy to what I’m doing.

And You?

Are you aware of the thoughts which are holding you back?

Imagine what will happen when you step up to the challenge of recognizing those thoughts for what they are, simply thoughts.

What other thoughts are possible instead?  What would be possible if you thought something else?

Just considering this leads us to our under-used potential and what we could achieve if we decided to use that mental energy wisely and convert our unproductive and fear-inducing thoughts into productive options that can free us to try something different.  It’s about being responsible for how we choose to frame our experiences.

It takes courage and practice to step up to but it is the simplest route to being all you can be.

A Thought Worth Thinking About

"We have been taught to believe that negative equals realistic and positive equals unrealistic."

Susan Jeffers, author of ‘Feel the Fear, and do it Anyway!’

What do you think?? ;-)