Achieving Success through Brain Science
By John Assaraf

According to the latest brain research, there are three key things anyone can work on to increase their chances for achieving greater financial, health, and overall success in life. These three things seem to be the ones that — once dealt with — turn goal setters into goal achievers.

  1. Self-image and self-worth: Research shows that you have two key types of self-image: the one you want people to see and the one that is hidden deep within your psyche — your subconscious. If your hidden self-image says “I am not smart, worthy, or deserving enough” of the goal you want to achieve, you will sabotage your efforts and maintain the results your hidden self-image states and believes you deserve.

 

  1. Limiting beliefs: Whenever you have limiting beliefs, your perceptions and behaviors align to make sure your limiting belief is true. Many people prefer mastering disappointment over mastering change, and limiting beliefs act as the filter for what you see and do in the world. In a sense, it’s a weird way to keep you sane and positive. Limiting beliefs keep you stuck in a paradigm that hinders your ability to achieve your life’s bigger goals and dreams.
  2. Fear: The third goal-achieving crusher is fear. There are over 50 types of fear that hold people back. Fear of failing or being embarrassed, ashamed, ridiculed, or judged are just a few.

What most people don’t know is that all three of these subconscious activities deactivate the motivational circuits in the brain and activate the stress response circuits. When this happens, chances are that you will not take the necessary actions consistently enough to warrant the prize of goal achievement.

To break through these motivational blocks and begin realizing your goals, it is necessary to “Innercise” your brain just like you would exercise your muscles: in a targeted and consistent way.

Here’s an Innercise to get you started. This one addresses working through your limiting beliefs.

Innercise: Open Window

Start by writing down three disempowering beliefs you have. For example:

  • I’m not smart enough.
  • I’m too old.
  • I’m not deserving.
  • I’m not skilled enough.

Say them out loud and notice how they make you feel. Next, say the sentence with a little modification. Instead of “I’m not smart enough” say, “In the past, I used to believe that I wasn’t smart enough. Now I’m discovering how to be smart enough so I can achieve my goals.” Instead of saying, “I’m too old,” say, “I used to believe that I was too old to accomplish what I want. Now I understand I’m at the perfect age to take all my life’s lessons and achieve my goals.”

When you change the way you talk to yourself and give yourself an open window through which to learn, grow, apply, and achieve, you can activate the “genius” part of your brain to help guide you down a path to achieve what you choose rather than getting tangled up in a list of why you can’t. The more you become aware of the automatic disempowering beliefs and self-talk happening beneath the surface, the more capable you become to transform this inner dialogue into something more empowering.

Whatever you believe and say to yourself reinforces neural patterns and instructs your brain on what behaviors to follow through on. Innercise your brain to create new neural pathways that encourage you to follow through on your goals. You’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish.