Self Limiting Beliefs: Overcome Obstacles to Success

Self limiting beliefs are the single most significant obstacles that we must learn to overcome in order to be successful in our lives.

In that regard, they are much like crocodiles lurking in the shadows of the swamps in our minds.

In today's post, I've put together a video with my thoughts about the nature of self limiting beliefs, explain where the "crocodile" analogy came from, and share my opinion about what success is possible for us if we believe, focus, and persist. Enjoy the video.

What Do You Want?

What do you want?

In my coaching practice, I've come to understand this may be the single most powerful question I can offer.

If you're like me, you no doubt catch yourself "raging against the machine" from time to time, complaining about the person who cut you off in traffic, your boss, the governement, the way the kids misbehaved, the credit card bills ... whatever.

There is stuff that pisses you off and so it's natural to want to complain about it.

Yet, the truth of the matter is that the more energy and focus you put into this complaining, the further away you push yourself from whatever it is you really want. As a matter of fact, what you're really accomplishing is entrenching yourself as a victim.

So how can we jolt ourselves out of this downward spiral and get refocused quickly when we catch ourselves doing this?

Simple ... come back this one magical question.

What do you want?

This question is very powerful. It can immediately enable you to shift out of the negativity and place your attention on what's really important to you now ... wealth and freedom, peace, a new car, a new house, more time with your spouse, a life of inspired abundance ... whatever it is that matters most to you.

Now, as you become more focused on what you want, you can picture yourself enjoying those things in your mind. The more you begin to visualize what you really want, the more clarity you are able to begin to find around it, and the further away from the negativity you move yourself.

Notice how this in turn assists you to refocus and begin to draw on inspiration to generate ideas about things that will move you closer to what you want.

It's a powerful technique. Next time you catch yourself raging about everything that's not right, ask yourself what it is you do want and see what happens.

Personal Development Success: The Art of Exceptional Living

Why is personal development so critical to personal success? Have you learned to master the art of exceptional living?

Today I have for you a video from Jim Rohn, who is one of the pre-eminent teachers of the past century in the field of self growth and personal development.

Jim Rohn is credited with inspiring and teaching the likes of Anthony Robbins, Les Brown, and countless others various success principles in the areas of personal development, financial independence, education, relationships, and much more! And he has been a prominent figure in our own growth as we travel on our path to a life of inspired abundance.

One of the key tenets of Jim Rohn's teachings is that you needn't be a super-achiever or unusually creative, but rather you need only work on developing yourself and increasing the value you provide to others.

You don’t have to endure great obstacles. You don’t even have to do exceptional things. You just have to do ordinary things exceptionally well by learning from both your own personal experience and from the experiences of other people.

In this 9 minute video, you begin to pick up some key principles from Jim Rohn as he discusses the art of exceptional living.

He discusses the importance of self education, developing new skills, and how to start your own personal development and success journey. After viewing the video, click on Jim's picture to learn more about Jim Rohn and his Art of Exceptional Living program.

Use Leisure Time Well: Build Your Dreams

Are you using your leisure time well? Are you spending that time working to build your dreams?

Let's assume you have taken the time to get clear on where you're going and have built the habit of planning ahead in all important aspects of your life. You have a clear vision of a life of inspired abundance that's well entrenched in your mind. And you feel passionate about it.

The next key element is to take action that will move you towards your goals. But how do I find the time to do that if I'm working a full time job, doing chores around the house, and raising a family?

Where on earth to I find the time?

You've no doubt heard the expression we all the same 24 hours in a day. And of course it's true.

Perhaps the key disinction between people who wish they were successful and people who are, is in the choices they make about how to use their time.

In my own experience, I notice that the most successful people I know tend to always be doing something with their time.

While others ... often including me ... are vegging in front of the television complaining that they don't have time to get things done, the most successful people I know seem to always be doing something purposeful.

Even when they are doing something leisurely with their time, there's still a notion of purpose around it ... "I'm relaxing watching the big game because I need to be well rested for a networking function I have tonight." And if they are reading or relaxing or doing "nothing", it always seems to be along the lines of reading a book that is assisting them in growing, or they're working on writing their next book.

So it all comes down to choices.

Every day, we make choices about where and how to spend our time. And when we have "free" time, we still make choices about how to use that time.

So the question becomes, how can I choose to better use my time to help me move towards my goals in life -- my vision of where I'm going?

For me, whenever I catch myself moping or feeling sorry for myself reaching for a beer and a bag of chips (they go so well together!), I know that's a clue that perhaps I can be making better use of my time and invest some of it working towards my dreams.

Here's another nostalgic, 10 minute video from the 1950s that raises many valid points about how to use your leisure time in that quaint by-gone way.

Know Where You're Going: Benefits of Looking Ahead

We've talked about the importance of knowing where you're going and the benefits of looking ahead to your future many times in this blog. The life list of a couple of posts ago is an example of this.

As the saying goes, "if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there".

This is a fundamental principle of personal success and development ... and it's not at all new.

What do you want from your life? Have you written it down? What is your plan? If you're intending to build a life of inspired abundance, what does it look like?

I love old vintage films. Here's a 1950 Coronet film that explores the benefits of career planning while in high school, as well as the benefits of planning ahead in your daily life. This film was designed as an educational film for kids, but as I watch and listen to it, it occurrs to me the "advice" still holds ... and not just for kids.

So here's your chance to invest 10 minutes in a a fun, nostalgic look at days gone by.

But at the same time, ask yourself whether you've really taken the time to know where you're going and are planning ahead. And if you aren't, what are you going to do about it?