Preconceptions

To break free from limiting beliefs, we need to change our preconceptions.

Man is still responsible … His success lies not with the stars, but with himself. He must carry on the fight of self-correction and discipline. – Frank Curtis Williams

Prejudices are previously formed opinions or ideas we hold about ourselves. These beliefs have the power to influence how we feel about ourselves, what we believe we are capable of, and the actions we take (or don’t take) to create the life we want.

So how do we overcome these negative preconceptions? Just like changing our negative thinking to positive, it takes consistent effort and focuses.

Altering our negative self-talk into positive self-talk consistently is key.

Rather than tearing ourselves down, we can choose to fill our inner dialogue with empowering affirmations and build ourselves up.

Think about this: how would you speak to someone you loved and respected?

Would you be cruel and unforgiving? Or would you be kind, encouraging, and supportive? It doesn’t matter what others say to you, or how others treat you. What matters is how you treat yourself! (Ironically, the better you treat yourself, others pick up on that and begin to see you differently – and ultimately treat you better. It’s all about what you believe you deserve.)

At the same time, you can also shift your focus from what you don’t want, to what you DO want.

For example, if you fear failure you are motivated to avoid failure at all costs (which usually means procrastinating on your goals and avoiding risk-taking). If you instead focus most of your attention on being successful at whatever you do, you’ll find that the fear of failure diminishes.

The more you focus on what you WANT, the less you will attract what you DON’T WANT.