Beliefs are powerful! Let’s see what happens when you believe something. For
example, the belief: “I can’t work without pressure.” Notice that this is just a
thought. Yet you treat it as if it’s a ‘fact’. A fact is 100% true and is irrefutable. You
choose your behaviour according to the facts that surround the situation. You can’t
work unless under pressure becomes an acceptable way of being and you don’t
challenge this idea. You believe it; you treat it as an irrefutable fact and you live your
life according to this principle. Essentially, you give up on yourself. You actually
sabotage your success by buying into this fact.
Don’t forget this: Every time you do something it’s because you find personal value
in doing it.
This is a bit strange. What personal value could you possibly find by hanging onto
this particular belief as if it were a rule by which to live your life? This is where you
have to dig deep. Perhaps you find some bizarre personal value in beating yourself
up and putting yourself down. Perhaps the work is uninspiring and procrastinating is
your way of protecting yourself from boredom. Perhaps buying into this excuse
allows you to live a mediocre life and that’s what you believe you deserve. The
reality is that holding onto the belief that you can’t work without pressure let’s you
off the hook. The personal value in this case is that you are not accountable – after
all you believe it to be true so there’s nothing you can do about it.
Once you realise that you’re holding onto such a belief, you can begin to realise how
limiting this is for you and how severely it holds you back. Usually just the awareness
that you believe this statement allows you to let go of it.