I have gotten to know a lot of entrepreneurs over the years. At nearly every sales camp, I find that just about everyone is looking for a “secret sauce” to master the art of sales. They want the magic script, the key words, and the tools to close every sale.
But they miss everything – EVERYTHING – when they overlook the importance of tackling and addressing their limiting beliefs.
But you see, success – and failure – begins with your thoughts. Consider this quote from Ghandi:
Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
You can do all the right things. You can force yourself to say the right words. But if the foundational belief that drives those actions and words is not present, they will turn up empty and disingenuous. And today, authenticity is what sells more than anything else.
But you can’t change your thoughts can you? Actually, you can. And if there was any “secret ingredient” to success, this is it.
It’s rather easy to identify which thoughts we have that need to change. I’ve talked a lot about limiting beliefs over the years and how to identify the ones that you may have accidentally succumbed to, most of the time by no fault of your own.
What are some of the most common limiting beliefs?
- “Selling is hard.”
- “I don’t have enough experience.”
- “Nobody will pay that much for what I have to offer.”
- “There isn’t enough money or clients for everyone in my industry.”
- “I’m a pushy salesperson.”
- “I’m not good enough.”
- “I don’t deserve to make that much money.”
- “The top 20% doesn’t exist for me.”
Identifying your limiting beliefs is both empowering and enlightening. Most people say something to the effect of, “I didn’t even realize I thought that!” And they’re motivated to change it! This is always the first huge step toward success!
But conquering your limiting beliefs is not as straightforward as telling yourself, “Don’t think XYZ thing anymore.” Why?
Well, what if I told you NOT to think of a pink elephant? What image comes to mind? That’s right – a pink elephant! Now instead, if I told you not to think of a pink elephant, but of an orca whale instead, what comes to mind? NOT the pink elephant, corrent?
This simple exercise shows just how simple it is to change our thoughts – and the key is in replacing them with NEW ones that serve our interests.
So, what can you replace those limiting beliefs with?
- Selling is easy! (Because it is!)
- I’m an expert in my industry.
- My target clients need what I have, so they will pay what I charge.
- There are plenty of clients to go around in my industry.
- I’m a professional problem solver who serves my clients well.
- I have everything I need to succeed.
- I deserve to be compensated for my time and expertise.
- I have a top 20% and I work with only them.
How else can you shift your beliefs?
Consider what information you are taking in on a regular basis. TV, social media, news, etc. are all useful to some degree, but are they teaching you how to be successful? If the answer is a resounding NO, it’s time to replace some of those habits with productive ones, even for just a few minutes a day.
One of those habits is reading. Leaders are readers, and readers are leaders. Successful people read a lot! I challenged you at the start of this year to study success. And part of that study means creating a habit of reading. And not reading just anything – reading books about how to be successful.
You see, your subconscious mind, which drives nearly all of your behavior and decision making, doesn’t filter what thoughts come to it. It simply takes them and acts accordingly. So if you are giving your mind even just ten minutes a day of new, productive information geared toward helping you succeed, making decisions that steer you toward success becomes natural.
Where should you start if you’re going to make a habit of reading? There are so many good books out there, but here are a few good ones to get you started:
- How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- The Magic Of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
- How Successful People Think by John Maxwell
- The Belief Zone By Ursula Mentjes
Here is the key: Most people won’t do it. But those who do reap the rewards.
The question is: Are you willing to do what it takes?
The tide is shifting. People are realizing that success can be theirs and they are taking the steps required of them to achieve.
Are you one of those?
