Some do not achieve success because they simply get in their own way, back away from opportunities, resist change and don’t push through the energy to take crucial steps. I have coached business owners and professionals for 30 years and have seen so many stand in their own way.  My job is to help them get out-of-the-way, to be clear about their vision and use their courage and determination to push through the limits they believe are real.

There are many ways that we stop our success.  Each of these are addressed in upcoming blogs.  Today’s blog is how our thinking gets in our way.  When we believe what we think we make bad decisions, misinterpret information and head down the wrong road.  You are probably thinking, “How can that be?”   That is precisely why I am writing this blog.  We believe what we think.  To think clearly depends on having perspective.  We do not have perspective when we act and react to the current thought in our head which may not be based on reality.  This thought may come from a restimulated memory, an emotion, someone else’s thought. etc.   Our challenge is to continually clear our thoughts so that we can see clearly.

Amy

One of my clients, Amy, is an incredibly talented strategist and communications professional.  She knows everyone because she is that good yet she believes that her career is failing.  It is not but by believing that it is she is creating failure.  This failure comes from Amy’s thoughts about her capabilities.   These thoughts about failure are contrary to all facts.   Amy spent time recently with the president and his communications team.  She discussed with his communications team how they could use her talents to support the re-election campaign. With all of this going on and still her thinking about what is possible stand in her way.  Her thoughts are wrong but she is unwilling to give them up.  She is afraid to.  In my coaching I push clients to clear their thinking, move on even if afraid and create a new perspective that supports their success.  It is not always easy so I push and at times push hard which is why I fondly refer to my work as Inspired Success Bootcamp.

Jeff

At times people confuse my push with their limits, get angry and not see the blocks they may have placed in their own way.  I was working with a client yesterday who I enjoy a great deal because he can see when he is stuck in his own thinking.  Jeff, a successful chef, jokingly refers to a boulder that sits in his way as a metaphor for the limits he creates and perceives on his path of success.   Sometimes he looks at how he can move around the boulder.  My question yesterday was can he step back and become aware of why he is creating the boulder to begin with.  He laughed because he always thinks he has to overcome things so it was amusing for him to ask why he feels he has to create things to overcome.

Recently he meditated on having the owners of the company not being so ever-present in order to give him the space to create.  He cleared his thinking and saw how this might happen.  It did.  He was thrilled then he laughed saying, “Be careful what you pray for.”  Jeff found that he indeed now had more space to create but he also had new responsibilities to oversee the whole operation with the absence of the owners.  He wonders if this is truly what he wanted.  I imagine he will meditate on this again.

These are a couple of examples of how our thinking creates our reality.   Take the time to meditate on your vision of success.  What are your thoughts about it?  Quiet the body and clear the mind so that you can become aware of your thoughts that are in the way of your success.

Please share your stories of success, what is in your way  or how you got out of your way.

Best wishes on your success.

Kay

Inspired Success Bootcamp for business owners or professionals.