Written by: Vince Morales, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Your beliefs impact your decisions and actions, and your beliefs are one of the foundational constructs that determine the outcomes in your life.
If you have beliefs that support a mediocre life, you can expect your life to be mediocre, and it would be like trying to build a skyscraper on a foundation of 2x4s. Ineffective beliefs cannot support an extraordinary life that pleases you.
Eliminate these beliefs from your mind and free yourself to build the life you desire:
1. It’s always been done that way.
When something has always been done a certain way, there’s likely to be another way that’s even better. Just because something has been done a certain way for a long time doesn’t mean you should just accept it.
For example, everyone used to walk. Then the wheel was invented, and wagons and carriages were developed. Cars and airplanes eventually followed. Who knows what might be next?
2. It’s not my fault. People with mediocre results habitually fail to take responsibility for their failures and misfortunes. It’s always someone else’s fault, such as:
“My boss hates me.”
“I had terrible parents.”
“I attract the wrong people.”
“I have bad luck.”
“I was born into an unfortunate situation.”
Whether it’s your fault or not, the best policy is to take responsibility for your situation. It’s your only hope because no one else is likely to save you.
3. It’s too late for me and can be too late for certain things. If you’re 30, you probably won’t be able to revive your dream of playing quarterback in the NFL. At 70, it’s probably too late to go to medical school.
However, it’s rarely too late for certain things. You can still find love, start a business, learn how to dance or write a book.
Doing things beyond a certain age can become less convenient, but many things are still possible.
4. I can do it tomorrow. Mediocre minds fool themselves into thinking it’s okay to get started tomorrow, Monday, the first of the month, or the first of the year.
Time is running out for everyone, and it’s just closer to running out for some than it is for others. Procrastination kills your options and your future. Just get started.
5. Comfort is more important than growth. Few people consciously think this way, but many people live this way. Our brains are wired to seek comfort and safety, which is a sure recipe for making little progress in life.
Take a chance to build a more exciting and rewarding life. If you pursue comfort, you’re limiting your life.
6. It will be better to do this in the future. We fool ourselves into thinking we’ll do things in the future to let ourselves off the hook today. We believe that there will be time to patch up our relationship later. We’ll have more time to spend with our loved ones someday. We’ll go back to school in a few years.
There will never be a perfectly convenient time. Just start doing it now.
7. Owning this thing will make me feel better. Why do we buy things we don’t need? It works like this: We imagine buying or owning something; if it feels good, we’re likely to buy it if we can. Unfortunately, this is just a trap.
You’ll likely never purchase anything that will make you feel better for over a month. The one possible exception is buying something you regularly use, such as a piano. You might love playing the piano, but you’ll never love just owning a piano.
8. It’s okay to talk about others. Small minds talk about other people. But this hurts you in several ways. It’s a waste of your time and can come back to haunt you. You also teach other people that you’ll likely talk about them at some point. None of these are beneficial to your life.
The smartest people like to talk about ideas. Talking about ideas will benefit you in more ways than you can imagine!
If you have some of these ineffective beliefs that limit you and your life, now is the time to begin challenging those beliefs. Adopt beliefs that will serve your life rather than unnecessarily restrict it. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the way your life changes!
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Vince Morales, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Vince Morales is a mindset, self-image, and resilience coach. In addition, he is skilled in leadership consultation and development. From April 2016 to June 2017, Vince was a homeless veteran in San Diego, CA. While homeless, he made a powerful decision to change his thinking and mindset, launching into life coaching. He developed a niche for resilience and mindset coaching. The growth of his business ultimately led to the end of his homelessness. Vince is the Founder of Validus Coaching & Consulting, formerly Zoe Transformation. His story has been featured in online articles and online news outlets all over the U.S. He is a certified John Maxwell Team Coach, Trainer, & Speaker, as well as a motivational speaker. In 2021, Vince earned his Master's degree in Psychology of Leadership from Penn State University and is currently a doctoral student pursuing a Ph.D. in Performance Psychology. He is a 2020 inductee into The National Society of Leadership and Success.
