The 7 Lies Of Success— Aka Power Of Beliefs

Beliefs are where everything starts. Nothing happens without believing. The power of beliefs has been a constant for ages. “In essence human history is the history of human belief”.

To start properly let’s define what a belief is: Tony Robbins defines belief in the most basic sense as “any guiding principle; dictum, faith, or passion that can provide meaning and direction in life”. Beliefs are the prearranged; organised filters to our perceptions of the world. They are like commanders of the brain. As Anton Chekhov once said “man is what he believes”.

In this context the world “lies” is used in a sense that we don’t truly know how the world is for sure. We don’t know if the line is concave or convex. “Lies” here represents a reminder that we don’t know for certain how things are. Each of us on this journey of life has to figure this out and go for what works best for them. Indeed there is no cheating possibility on this one since we were all given unique assignments when we were born. We can get inspired, model people, model beliefs but at some point, each has to figure out and own their life; their destiny and accomplish the mission we each got assigned on the specific day of our birth.

Belief #1: Everything happen for a reason and a purpose and it serves us

Most successful people have this ability to focus on what is possible in any given situation, what positive results could come from it..

No matter what the environment, circumstances throw at them, they have this common ability to switch their mindset and be able to see a purpose into whichever negative circumstance they may find themselves in. They see every adversity containing the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit says Tony.

What actually happen in your brain when you truly believes this, is that you mostly embrace whichever situation you find yourself in, no matter how challenging because you know it serves to some higher purpose. The one that your 5 senses cannot so easily apprehend. Of course successful people also acknowledge the negative feelings that may come with the event/ the circumstance, but they quickly bounce back.

Belief #2: There is no such thing as failure, there are only results

This is very correlative to the first belief above. In our culture people have been pre programmed to fear what is called failure. Yet all of us can recall a time we wanted badly something but instead got something else, we all failed at least one to a test, suffered through a frustrating romance etc.. the list can go on. How is this perceived/interpreted by successful people? They for sure don’t experience it as failure, they see it and define this as an outcome. They see this as a neutral feedback. If you fail to an exam, the failing isn’t that much of a failure, it is a feedback that you haven’t studied enough or in an appropriate manner. It means that you get the outcome of the input you set in studying (or not). Successful people see this as a learning experience and an opportunity to do things differently in the future.

Being afraid of failure is a reflection of internal representations that project what may not work in advance. This is what is limiting in taking the appropriate actions into accomplishing what they plan to. As Mark Twain once said “ there is no sadder sight than a young pessimist”. And he is right: people who believe in failure are almost guaranteed a mediocre existence.

Successful people don’t attach a negative feeling to something that didn’t work out. They acknowledge it, learn from it and move on.

Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we often might win by fearing to attempt — William Shakespeare

Belief #3: Whatever happens; take responsibility

Great leaders have this commonly repeated sentence: “I am responsible. I will take care of it”. Indeed, achievers tend to believe that no matter what happens, whether it’s good or bad, they created it. If they didn’t cause it by their physical actions, they might have done so in their thoughts. They take responsibility and ownership in situations they find themselves in. This perspective on things and situations is an empowering believe.

A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the ‘why’ for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any ‘how.’

Belief #4: It’s not necessary to understand everything in order to use everything

This is another one many successful people live by: they don’t expect to know it all in order to jump into action. They most of the time need to know what is essential to be known and then act upon it. They exact the essence from a situation, take out what they need and don’t dwell on the rest.

Successful people are good at distinguishing clearly what is necessary for them to understand and what is not.

I bet that if I ask anyone how electricity is made, there won’t me many able to explain that detail by detail, but still we all know how to switch on the interrupter allowing us to have the light produced by electricity.

This belief also implies that it’s not always those who have most, know most who succeed but those able to use what they have available in the most effective and efficient way possible.

Belief #5: People are your greatest resources

People who produce outstanding results are most of the time team players. They have a tremendous sense of respect and appreciation for people. They have a sense of common purpose and unity. Business books such as Innovation and Entrepreneurship, In Search of Excellence, The One Minute Manager all commonly agree on this “there is no long lasting success without rapport among people. They agree that in order to success you need to form a successful team that’s working together”.

When Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman exposed in their book In Search of Excellence the factors that made companies great; the respect and dignity of the individuals were the main keys that led to a cohesion and success. Successful companies see their employees as partners and not as tools.

This belief is one of those you easily say it but behaving daily being aware of this isn’t always easy. That is why an adjustment is needed on this one. Treating people with respect isn’t a straight forward line. It is like sailing, you have to keep adjusting your ship path in order to make sure you are heading in the right direction.

Successful people know that one man alone, no matter how brilliant, will find it very difficult to match the collaborative talents of an effective team — Tony Robbins

Belief #6: Work is play

“Do what you love and love what you do” right? This one makes your work not seem like work at all. Do you know any person who came successful by doing what they hate? I don’t, and I bet you don’t?

One of the keys to success is getting to a level where you successfully match what you do and what you love. Pablo Picasso once said “when I work, I relax, doing nothing or entertaining visitors makes me tired”

The journey to finding what truly excites you and makes your burn inside can be long but it is a path worth taking.

Successful people seem to have this in common: they make their vocation into vacation and vice versa.

Belief #7: There is no abiding success without commitment

There is no great success without great commitment. The Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova said it this way “ to follow without halt one aim: there’s the secret of success”. Meaning that once you have defined your goal, set an execution plan for it, you go for it and stay committed, making necessary adjustments around the way in order to get you where you’re heading until you get there.

Commitment is an important component of success in any field. Take the example of Michael Jackson? Did he have special talents, yes he did, but what contributed to his tremendous success was his commitment and practice. Practice ever since he was five years, he practice his singing, his dancing talents, his entertaining abilities and so on. And it is through the years of practice and commitment that he became a legend. Of course he also had some natural talents that helped in the process but he was willing to pay the price and do what it takes. Doing what it takes (without harming others) is what separates successful people from the pack.

If I made a commitment, I stood by that commitment — and try to make it real. Because when you become leaders, the most important thing you have is your word, your trust. That’s where respect comes from — Michelle Obama

Inspiration from author Tony Robbins — Unlimited Power