. Some people believe that you should focus on your strengths, while others believe greatness comes from developing your weak links. The most successful people in any field have managed to do both.
But what about a belief that you cannot do something to the point that you won't even try?
It's hard to get good at something if you refuse to even try it because of a false belief.
What happens to a life if you succumb to every negative false belief about yourself? Life becomes barely tolerable.
In my own life I can chronicle dozens of examples where I am so thankful that I was able to push beyond some major false beliefs. Pushing beyond changed my life entirely. Here is a short list:
In middle school I was told by a teacher that I couldn't do advanced math and got relegated to a basic class. Without my parent's knowledge I hardly did any math in grade 8 and when it came time to sign up for high school courses my father noticed that I was in basic math. He quickly started working on my belief system and drilled me in math for the next year and I went on to enjoy math throughout high school and university. Without that intervention I would never had gotten into Kinesiology or later Chiropractic college.
In practice I didn't believe I could help more than 100 people a week. This is still a false belief system taught in many Chiropractic Colleges that is devastating to the careers of thousands of doctors and leads to an extreme limitation on how many people they can serve. That belief system was shattered by Dr. Ben Lerner. He showed me how serving 1000 patients a week was possible and once my mind and heart shifted I was able to do do the same. From 100 a week is impossible to 1000 a week is a reality!
In sport I didn't think that I could do endurance sports. My only race since high school was a snail pace 10 km run. Then I volunteered at Ironman Lake Placid. Watching those athletes inspired me to train for my first Ironman at the age of 50. I went on to complete 5 Ironman races in 5 years along with 20 plus half ironmans thrown in for good measure. With proper training I was able to consistently finish in the top 5% in my age group with a PR of 11 hours and 1 minute. From a 55 min. 10 km run to an 11 hour Ironman!
After Ironman I was looking for the next challenge. I got thinking about Crossfit but it terrified me in a number of different ways:
- Crossfit is big on community and I am a total introvert and loved my long solo endurance training.
- Crossfit is big on gymnastics and I dreaded gymnastics all through school. I loved every sport I ever played except gymnastics. Nothing brought more fear than a spring board and a box.
- Crossfit is big on rope climbs and I hate climbing a rope ever since I fell from a rope climb in grade school during gym. (grade school can leave lots of wounds!)
- Crossfit fit is big on pull-ups and I couldn't even do one.
So what did I do? I stepped into fear and joined a Crossfit box and started training. 2 years later I can hold a handstand against a wall (still super scary to be upside down), I can climb a rope (feels great!) and just last week I did 20 pull-ups unbroken. I occasionally even talk to people during the workouts :)
From slow twitch wuss to 20 pull ups!
In coaching, everyday I can see how limiting beliefs prevent clients form reaching their full potential.
Limiting beliefs are surrounded by fear and the only way to move beyond them and enter into a new strength is to step into the fear. FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY!
Moving into the fear takes courage and
on the other side of the fear is pure potential.
It never surprises me that beyond the fear barrier often lies your greatest strength.
A client that wouldn't speak in front of two people becomes a great communicator in front of large audiences!
From a Christian perspective, Satan knows that if you are allowed to step into your greatest strength you will achieve great things for God, so he comes against it in every way possible. He plants seeds of doubt and discouragement so that you are too afraid to try.
My personal observation during the last 15 years of coaching is that
the clients who step into fear the most are the ones that grow the most.
The other neat thing that happens is that there is a
tremendous overflow of success from one area of life to the next. Conquer an Ironman and your practice grows. Hit a workout and you marriage improves. Do a group report and your relationship with your kids changes. This happens because you as a person- body, soul and spirit -improve. Sound familiar?
What have you been afraid of stepping into? What action step have you been avoiding?
What are you waiting for?
Coach Yurij
Warrior Coaching
Comment
On Sunday, February 5, 2017, Leo Quan said:
On Wednesday, February 1, 2017, Cedric Tomico said:
On Tuesday, January 31, 2017, Lynn said:
On Monday, January 30, 2017, Stephen Lippitt said:
On Friday, January 27, 2017, Darrilyn said:
On Friday, January 27, 2017, David Cameron said:
On Friday, January 27, 2017, Denise Tomlin said:
On Friday, January 27, 2017, Yves said:
Leave a Comment