I was working with a group of “newish to sales” professionals teaching the fundamentals of selling when I was reminded of the power our beliefs have and how they play out in our approach to learning, self-awareness, and change. Many of these folks were embarking on a new role in their careers, and of course, the beliefs they brought with them certainly impacted the results they were getting and the experience they were having. Some of the beliefs supported their success, and some did not. However, like most of us, they hadn’t taken the time to consider what they actually believed and how it could be impacting their new roles. Have you taken the time to ponder the impact and importance your beliefs have in your life?
First of all, let’s take a look at how beliefs operate.
- Beliefs are our brain’s way of understanding and navigating our complex world.
- They are mental representations of how our brains expect things in our environment to behave and how things should be related – the patterns our brain expects the world to conform to.
- Beliefs are templates for efficient learning and are often essential for survival.
- Our beliefs influence the actions we take and the results we get.
- Not all beliefs support us – they are patterns of thinking that can be changed.
As we always say, awareness is the key. So, start by paying attention. Identify your beliefs around any given topic, then look at which of these beliefs support you and which get in your way.
Remember to engage your self-observation skills, not your inner critic. Identify what’s helpful and what’s not, and work to change what isn’t supporting you.
We will be discussing this topic in more depth in future blogs so stay tuned.
Mary Anne Wampler
Principal, Transform, Inc.
