When we talk about intellect, IQ and book-smarts probably come to mind. As a society, we recognise good grades as success. And while this is true, specifically, there’s one factor that’s missing in modern education. That is, emotional intelligence.
Successful people have mastered social competencies, like managing emotions, their drive to achieve goals and adaptability. They’re all centred around emotional self-management.
The great Napoleon Hill said it well: “Whatever the mind of a man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
Let’s talk about beliefs.
What are beliefs?
A belief is something you see to be true – a guiding principle that can provide direction in life. Beliefs are performed, pre-organised approaches to perception that filter our self-dialogue and the way we perceive the world.
Beliefs tell our brain how to make sense of something that’s happening. When you believe something to be true, you literally go into a state of it being true. Belief is nothing but a state, an internal representation that governs your behaviour. So, it’s a doorway to excellence and success, if we learn how to train our minds.
Beliefs are choices. To be excellent, you must embody the belief system of those who are successful.
Stop for a moment and explore what beliefs you have.
Choose your beliefs wisely.
What you believe in is determined by a range of factors that include:
- Environment & events
- The information you consume
- Past situations. For example, if you succeed once, it’s easier to form the belief you’ll succeed again. Believing it can be done becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- Future predictions. Your mind creates a clear image of the result you want and represent it to yourself as if you have already achieved it. You’ll go into the kind of state that’ll support you in creating that result.
The beliefs that lead to excellence usually follow this success cycle:
Potential > Action > Results > Belief / Certainty
Defining your self-belief means you trust in your own abilities. It’s developed from the inside. To do this, it requires perseverance, effort, and belief in your capabilities.
We’ll leave you with five tips to help you overcome self-sabotaging beliefs.
- Meditate to improve your focus.
This mind-clearing activity is becoming more common in our everyday lives, and for good reason. By spending time each day, twice a day, focusing on what you want and envisioning it, you’ll begin to bring it to pass and act in accordance to your vision. - Stop putting yourself down.
Your language is everything. Avoid making casual covenants, because what we speak about we bring about. - Love yourself.
This is harder for teenagers as they’re getting to know who they are. But, it’s important to always remind them of (and yourself). The most powerful emotions are love, gratitude, faith, and trust. - One step at a time.
You only need to take the next best step. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need to know how. You’ll figure it out along the way, through trial and error. - Celebrate your wins.
We’ve spoken about the power of rejoicing in small wins. Stop and smell the roses every so often. Remember, gratitude is one of the highest emotions, and when we are operating in it, we are attracting all that we wish for.
Of course, you’re going to need to guide your child through these five factors but, with time, they’ll become habits and help instil a success-oriented mindset.
A mindset that can overcome any limiting belief that comes their way.