John Mayer, Naval Ravikant, and Tim Denning

Belief.

It’s the lens that you use to view and make sense of reality. 

It constantly runs in the background of your mind, shaping thoughts, decisions, and actions.

The world is shaped by what you believe is true and what you believe isn't true.

But here’s the thing: our beliefs aren’t necessarily true OR accurate.

That’s right. 

Each and every one is an assumption or generalization that you pick up from years of experiences, our upbringing, environment, and the millions of IG reels you consume. 

Some of them are good, and help you get to the next level! But others are limiting. 

These limiting beliefs hold us back from reaching our full potential, or optimal life.

How can you recognize these beliefs?

Well, it’s simply the stuff you say to yourself and/or friends and family. Usually, they manifest as sentences that  start with “I can’t”, “I’m not”, “I am” or “I can.”

These are belief statements.

And when you say them, they become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Once you have this awareness shift, you’ll understand that beliefs can be changed. 

Just because someone (or you) told you that you were or weren’t capable of something doesn’t mean it’s true.

You have the power to change your reality.

All it takes is an awareness shift and a willingness to change. 

━━━━━━━━━ ᨒ↟━━━━━━━━━

The two biggest beliefs that I’ve overcome were: 

• “I’m not a writer”

• “I can't sell”

And they kept me broke.

I was an engineer that held limiting beliefs in my head about sales (“People in sales are all like used car salesmen”) or writing (“To write I have to be on the level of Neil Gaiman”).

But I changed my mind. 

I now consider myself both a writer and a salesman.

The biggest contributor to those shifts was changing my environment.

Joining communities and getting in different rooms with the right people can help break beliefs.

Once you see someone doing a thing you didn’t think was possible, it opens your mind.

In 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four minute mile, a feat thought impossible. 

But 46 days later, John Lendy broke THAT record and within three years, 16 OTHER runners had achieved sub-four-minute miles.

Limiting beliefs are shattered once someone proves it can be done. 

Finding Tim Denning on Medium and implementing his method helped me understand I'm a writer.

Reading the seminal Naval Ravikant thread on how to get rich helped me understand that I have to sell.

So think of your mind as a garden, and your beliefs as the seeds you plant. 

The limiting, negative beliefs are weeds. Root them up. Burn them.

Cultivate the blossoms that reflect who you want to be.

You’re the master gardener. 

Go garden some optimal.

Cheers,

Swanagan

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