Changing your mindset can have a significant impact on achieving
your goals.

We've all heard about the power of positive thinking but does it
work? How does your thinking influence your actions and get you the
results you want? 

Understanding Your Mindset

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article about the
significance of our beliefs and the mental models, or mindsets that
shape our behavior. According to the psychologists interviewed for
the piece, we act and perform in accordance with the beliefs these
models tell us is true.

Yet most of us have some flawed or erroneous beliefs, which in turn
misguide our interpretation of our world. As a result, we see the
world not as it is, but as we are – and it's this flawed
interpretation that drives our attitude and behavior.

For example, if you think something is not possible or out of your
reach, you're probably not going to commit much energy and
resources to accomplishing that goal. Whether it's gathering new assets,
landing a big client, or simply getting out of the office at five
o'clock, your thoughts influence your actions.

The bottom line is that our beliefs become our truths and reality.
Henry Ford explained it best when he said, "Whether you think you
can or can't, you're right."

What This Means to You

The professionals I work with are highly skilled and well-educated
individuals with rewarding compensation plans. They also have
mindsets that support or inhibit their ability to optimize their
performance and results. Over the course of my career I've
witnessed just how significantly these mindsets influence success.

As changes in the industry and your market occur, so do the demands
on you and your business. No longer is skills training sufficient
enough to ensure that you will accomplish your goals. Old habits
die slowly because they are driven by an outdated mindset. And
despite the efforts of many corporations and businesses, behavior-
based training and monetary incentives don't have a lasting
effect on performance. It's your mindset that needs changing and then
lasting behavior change will follow.

Insanity is often defined as doing the same things over and over
again, while expecting different results. If this rings a bell, it
may be time to change your mindset so you can get different
results.

Changing Your Mindset

In order to replace old habits though a change in your mindset,
there are three steps you should follow:

1. First, begin by specifically identifying the results you
want.
2. Then create and develop actions that will accomplish those
results.
3. Lastly, examine your beliefs about those actions to
determine if they are holding you back.

For example, a common goal among speakers is to be listed with
several speaker bureaus. Many speakers have the credentials and
experience to be on a list but don't take the steps necessary to
make it happen.

Why is this right? They know the bureaus requirements so why
don't they just get on with it? Do they believe they will be accepted for
listing?

Beliefs that put a damper on expectations and behavior are like
mushrooms - they thrive in darkness. Yet if you shine a little light
on those beliefs, you'll develop a different mindset about the
affluent market.

These questions are the light that can change your mindset:

1. What does my research say about the market for my speaking
topics?
2. Do I know other speakers like me that are listed with
several bureaus?
3. Exactly what are my obstacles to getting their attention?
Can they be overcome?

No matter what your goal, saying you haven't done something
before is not justification for not being able to do it now. Everyone has
overcome adversity and accomplished things they never thought
they'd do. Whether it's learning to drive a car, graduating college, or
reaching an income goal, we all have our accomplishments. This is no
different, and by questioning your beliefs, you'll find evidence
that supports new beliefs about what you can accomplish.

"Seeing" truly is believing, and once you see that old habits
and assumptions are holding you back from finding and working with
several bureaus, you'll begin to use your talent and skills to
make it become your reality.

Most dictionaries define a belief as a conviction that certain
things are true, so if you want to achieve your goals, create a
mindset made of beliefs that support the truth you want in your
future.

---

Bob Lodie is a speaker, business strategy coach and consultant to
financial advisors. He is author of Three Steps to Million Dollar
Production and Personal Success from the Inside Out. He can be
reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or direct at 310-552-6064