What do you believe about your job? I use to believe all sorts of crazy things like:
- People make the biggest deal out of the tiniest issues.
- We don’t save lives.
- I’m a really good manager.
- Some people are just not cut out for our company.
- The culture here is brutal.
- The promotion process is so screwed up.
- Who you manager is will make or break your happiness.
- I’m the wrong gender to be successful on this team.
- There’s no way in hell we are going to reach those goals.
- This company does not care about people. They only care about getting what they need out of you.
And the list could go on, but a belief is a thought we keep thinking over time. Often times they feel like facts because we have so much evidence for them. I could get a lot of other people to agree with some of my beliefs about work and I know there’s some juicy HR files somewhere that would back me up.
But a belief is just a thought. They are easy to think and we find evidence for them constantly, but they are thoughts and thoughts are optional. So if a belief is optional, why do we choose to believe so many things that don’t service us?
I think the first hurdle is being aware of what our beliefs are and recognizing that they are in fact thoughts and not facts. Once we can really come to terms with that, we can chose to think whatever we want out our jobs. Some people say this is delusional, but it’s no more delusional than what you believe right now.
As human’s we have the ability to be conscious of our thoughts and this is a superpower if you use it. Start by writing down what you currently believe and then start practicing different thoughts you also believe, but that service you better. Practice is key because a belief is thought over time, so keep practicing.
Here are a few thoughts I’m practicing. Feel free to steal any of them and leave a comment with your suggestions.
- There’s plenty of time
- Love is always an option
- Everything happens FOR me
- I’m only responsible for how I think and feel
- It’s none of my business what other people think of me
- People are allowed to behave the way they want. I’m allowed to react the way I want.
- It’s not what we do, it’s who we are.
- Worry serves no purpose.
- What you look for, you will find.
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