After many years of leading a TV-free life, I’ve recently become addicted to ‘The Biggest Loser’, and have found myself applying many of its lessons to my business.
This show is not about weight loss; it’s about people learning to believe in themselves. Nothing sums up the transformations the contestants go through better than the famous quote by Henry Ford: ‘Whether you believe you can or you believe you can’t, you’re right.’
Strengthen your self-belief
If you have a compelling enough vision, you’ll grab at any opportunity that comes your way. But first you need to believe you have what it takes to achieve that vision.
I often get asked ‘What’s been the biggest challenge in your business?’
It’s a great question, isn’t it? It gets you thinking, it gets you to be honest and it also gets you to celebrate.
I don’t know about you, but my answer today is exactly the same as it was five years ago: ‘My biggest challenge in business is believing I can do it’.
When I focus my attention there, I make great strides forward, no matter the details in question.
Have you got what it takes?
In almost every episode of my new favourite television show, the contestants are asked by their trainers: ‘Life is tough, have you got what it takes?”
Business can be tough too. Have you got what it takes?
If you’re going to make changes in your business, you’re going to need to want those changes so badly that you’re prepared to make sacrifices in order to achieve them.
What changes do you want that badly? Define those things, focus on them, and then get disciplined.
Lose all the other stuff. Don’t waste energy on things you’re only half-hearted about. Instead, put that energy toward the stuff you really want.
No more ‘shoulds’
In many cases, you’ll find that means you can free yourself up from all the ‘shoulds’ that are weighing you down.
For example, don’t agonise over that monthly newsletter. All the energy spent fretting about the fact that you should be writing it can be put toward one of the things you REALLY want badly enough.
If your newsletter actually is vital to what you want badly enough, find a way to outsource it, automate it or change your attitude.
If it’s not vital to your plan, drop it. And don’t agonise over the decision either. Believe that there’ll be better outcomes by focusing your efforts elsewhere, and then just get on with it.
Can you see the influence of your self-belief in your business? Do you believe in yourself and where is it getting you?
