Your beliefs are
your key to success

Why is this seemingly contradictory statement accurate?

Our minds will support our beliefs whether they are accurate or not. So if we believe we can do something, our minds will work ferociously to come up with methods or strategies that will allow us to accomplish it.

Conversely, if we believe something is impossible, our minds will work in the opposite direction, coming up with a multitude of reasons to explain how something can not be done.

The result is determined by the belief you have when you start. Try this out with your team and see if your team will move in a positive direction if you set them up with the belief that something is possible. Then try it with a different team, but set your tone in a negative, defeated manner, stating you don't think it's possible to accomplish, but you thought you'd throw out the idea anyway. See what happens, and then you'll begin to see that optimists truly start out with the underlying belief that it is possible.

This is one strategy of developing the innovative solution to something that your competitors still believe is impossible.

A great example is the four-minute mile. Before anyone ever ran a four-minute mile, the common belief among runners and coaches was that it was impossible. Once one runner beat that record, amazingly, more and more runners beat that record as well. A new bar was set.

The question is, will you be a leader or a follower in your industry?

If the rest of your team members believe something is true, but you see an alternate solution - will you go along with the crowd or risk stepping out like Ford, Edison, and many others who have set new records for what could be done in a particular industry.

COACHING CORNER: When we approach what seems to be an impossible task, we must pay careful attention to the words we use to determine whether we will succeed. If we find ourselves thinking, "It's too difficult," we will find ourselves facing certain defeat. But if we consistently say, "I'll find a way," and truly believe it, we will find ourselves amazed at the strategies we develop to overcome a challenge.

Add a proactive twist, such as, "I'll find an enjoyable way to accomplish this in no time!" and you'll find yourself motivated to finish the task. You'll also be more persistent because your perspective will have shifted.

COACHES CHALLENGE: What are some questions you can ask in order to accomplish a task that has seemed difficult to near impossible up to this point?