Expanding your mind to win

bythemethod | October 13, 2008

All of us have some idea of what we think we are capable of. It could be that we think we are not good at running or that we are not good at selling. Maybe we believe that we are ok at some things but rubbish at others. Most of what we believe is based on what others have told us and just a little on life experience.

The bad news is that these beliefs can stop us succeeding but the good news is that we don’t have to settle for thinking this way. There is a way to start to think differently and here it is …

We need to first of all acknowledge the problem and that all of our life we have restricted ourselves through the way we perceive ourselves.

Successful people – those who win – don’t let themselves think small thoughts about themselves. They don’t believe the limitations that are placed on them by the world. For instance if the world says you have to be tall to be a basketball player they will ignore it and become a great basketball player anyway. Or if someone says you have to be short to be a good sprinter then they ignore this and do it anyway.

It’s not that they just ignore the limitations but they find creative ways of getting around them or perhaps even using them to their advantage.

This is not an excuse for arrogance and ignoring reality. If you are trying to do something that requires a certain amount of talent or a certain look then there is a fair chance you will fail. If you ever watch the X-factor on T.V. (or American Idol etc) then you will know a fair number of people turn up at the auditions believing they are great when in fact they are terrible. You have to know yourself and you limitations but not allow the way you think to be one of those limitations.

Many of those who fail at the x-factor could do something about the way they are but they fail to see the problems and so can’t. For instance most people can learn how to sing. Most people can change the way they look. Most people can even change their personality if they really want to. But if you don’t see the problems you can’t make the change.

So don’t ignore limitations but don’t let the way you think be one of those limitations.

You need to expand the way you think. Here are 12 ways you can think differently that will expand your mind:

1. A loss becomes a gain.

2. If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.

3. The imagination is more powerful that the will.

4. Life works perfectly; the mind gets in the way.

5. Limitations are temporary.

6. Anyone can perform any task better.

7. Events have no meaning except what you give them.

8. Getting better is more important than winning.

9. Practice the way you want to perform.

10. The more you expect from a situation, the more you will achieve.