| Beyond Belief -------------------------------------------------------------------- In his book Thinkertoys, creativity expert Michael Michalko writes "Years back, a group of scientists visited a tribe in New Guinea that believed their world ended at a nearby river. After several months, one of the scientists had to leave, which involved crossing the river. Safely across the river, he turned around and waved. The tribesmen did not respond because, they said, they didn't see him. Their entrenched beliefs about the world had distorted their perception of reality". Beliefs are powerful stuff. Many of the beliefs we have are outside of our awareness, yet they govern how we behave. They either propel us to do things or stop us from doing them. Not long ago, I was discussing a particularly challenging case with an NLP expert I really respect for his finesse and skills when he said, "Kathleen, this is a good thing. When you start getting the tough cases, it's because the universe has marked you out for great things. You're only given challenges you can handle". At first I laughed it off and thinking he had just cleverly reframed my "problem". But something about what he said lingered on and a week or so later I found myself mulling over his beliefs and how it might affect how he lives and works. Since beliefs are not facts, it doesn't matter if they are logical. What matters is if they are useful. So I started thinking about new and different ways I would behave if I too adopted those same beliefs. If I was facing a challenge only because I could handle it, nothing would ever be too difficult or outside of my capability. As a result, problems or challenges would not be anything to shirk from or be worried about, but occasions to rise to. They certainly seemed useful and empowering beliefs to have. It wasn't long before I got to test drive these new beliefs. And as luck would have it, it involved several issues that I would normally prefer to avoid, all rolled into one big challenge. Interestingly though, having these new beliefs equipped me with a new mindset in approaching the situation, a sense of calm throughout and more courage in tackling the difficult and sensitive issues. As a result, I resolved the issue in a fraction of the time that I would have taken in the past AND I got the outcome I wanted! But don't take my word for it, test out the following beliefs for yourself and find out if your behavior changes as a result. If they're useful for you, keep them. If not, just discard them. 1. The universe only throws you challenges that you can handle 2. Your hard challenges are a sign that the universe has marked you out for bigger and better opportunities. I'd love to hear what you discover. Till next time, all the best. Kathleen Alexander Clever Fox +613 8682 9776 To find out about our coaching and training programs, please visit www.cleverfox.com.au and www.coachingforwomen.com.au |
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