Are you aware of the immense power of your beliefs?
Everyday your beliefs, thoughts, and feelings create your life. They draw experiences, people, obstacles, and direct outcomes. They’re like the Wizard of Oz, behind the curtain, directing the show.
That’s the power of beliefs.
Maybe you think you’ve cleaned up childhood negative beliefs, and are very maturely living your life. So I’ll ask: Are you 100% happy with the outcomes in your life? If not, you’ve still got some old, ugly beliefs running the show.
I marked this section in a fabulous book I recently read to quote for you, because it pinpoints a truism about our adult beliefs.
Here’s the context: Sophie is twelve years old. She and Charles (a true gentleman, Englishman, fellow shipwreck survivor, and Sophie’s guardian since she was one year old), are in Paris searching for her mother. I’ve added the “bold” to draw your attention.
Sophie tried to find the right words. To give herself time she gulped the rest of the chocolate, and ran her finger round the inside of the cup.
“It’s only that I’ve been thinking, if she is alive—and I’m sure she is—why didn’t she come for me?”
“But she would have been told you were dead, Sophie. If we couldn’t get a list of survivors, neither could she. You wouldn’t have been in the hospitals. Nobody in France would have known about you.”
“I know. I do know that. But … they told me that she was dead, and I didn’t believe them. Why did she believe it? Why didn’t she keep looking?”
“My darling, because she is an adult.”
Sophie ducked behind her hair. Her face was hot and tight and angry. “That’s not a reason.”
“It is, my love. Adults are taught not to believe anything unless it is boring or ugly.”
“That’s stupid of them,” she said.
“Sad, child, but not stupid. It is difficult to believe extraordinary things. It’s a talent you have, Sophie. Don’t lose it.”
—from Rooftoppers, by Katherine Rundell
Coach’s Challenge: Identify one area of your life where you’d like to be getting different results.
It might be money, relationships, your work, whatever. Make a list of at least three things you believe about that area of life. (Hint: look to things your parents said about it.) Once you’ve got a few of the old, limiting beliefs, write a new belief. Make it extraordinary. Write it on 3 post-its and put it where you will see it every day, at least once a day, this week.
