Why what you concentrate on, will influence what you bring into your life

Labyrinth of our mind

Our imagination is an amazing tool that we can use to open our world to the amazing possibilities and opportunities open to us. Einstein said:

“Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.”

What can we do with our imagination? Well, pretty much anything we want. We can come up with new ideas, new perspectives, new ways of looking at our job, our business, ways of looking at problems. We can use our imagination in an organised and selective way by choosing from experiences and concepts, visions and ideas.

What do you think the vast majority of people instinctively use their imaginations for? To go for the reasons why they should do things, or the reasons why they shouldn’t? I wonder which camp you’re in… The French philosopher Montaigne said:

“Most lives are a product of a mismanaged imagination.”

We are all sat here with the sum of all our past imaginings and the question to ask yourself is: “Do I use my imagination to explore possibilities or to close them down?

When you think about what you want for your future – perhaps to have achieved in five years’ time, what do you think about? If you use your imagination to think of all the things that could go wrong, you are less likely to go for the great things in life however, if you’re more of a glass iS half full kind of person, your brain is expecting the best to happen because optimists accept things can go wrong but expect to cope. They’re willing to learn and grow, rather than to expect things to go wrong, or feel a failure if things don’t go right the first time.

It’s about being motivated by desire, rather than fear.

Walking the plank

Indulge me for a moment if you will… Imagine two beer crates upside down and across them is a builder’s plank; so, it’s approximately 30cm wide, 4 cm thick and about three metres long. If I offer you £10 to walk from one side of the plank to the other, what might you say? The vast majority of people answer yes – it’s an easy tenner – almost a drink on a Saturday night! OK, let’s change the scenario a little… Imagine those beer crates are now 100 metres up, on the top of two multi-storey buildings, it’s a still day, not a breath of wind and I’m prepared to offer you the same £10 reward for doing the same job. So, what’s your answer now, in cleaned up language? Do I hear a chorus of ‘NO!’?! Why no? The risk is the same - the risk is you might fall. What has changed are the consequences of failure. When the beer crates are on the ground, if you fall off, it’s a possible sprained ankle but if you fall off when you’re up 100 metres, it’s certain you’ll be strawberry jam!

Here’s the thing, logically you have the same capability 100 metres up as you do down on the ground to complete the task and surely you have even more reason to stay on the plank when you’re so high! However, do you think you’re more likely to stay on or fall off at 100m versus ground level? Well, the answer my friend, is that you’re far more likely to fall off at 100 metres high up because your head is full of – well, falling off! Down on the ground, your head is focused on the £10 and what you’ll do with it… It’s the way you’re thinking about the challenge because at ground level, you think about the treat but up high, you think about the problems.

This is a scenario we present to participants on the Winning Edge Programme and it always, without doubt, gives them a new perspective on the way they think about what they think about.

The plank is a metaphor for any exciting challenge we face in life – an important presentation to a potential client, a job interview, whether to strike out and start up our own business or maybe whether to declare our undying love to someone. We fear failure and our dominant thought is failure so what’s more than likely to happen…

We move towards our dominant thought so the key is to focus on what we want rather than what we don’t want.

What’s the worst that can happen?

As I prepared to speak on stage for my second TEDx Talk which was delivered solo, as opposed to the safety net of the multi-generational TEDx I did with my Dad and 12-year-old daughter (who was the least nervous out of the three of us!), my nerves were building to epic proportions and I really had to pull myself together. First, I thought about why I was feeling like this. Yes, nerves and adrenalin but there was more to it. I had invested so much time, effort and emotion into getting this talk right and it meant so much to me, to be able to get out there on that stage – solo – and to deliver a talk with clarity and passion that would lead people to sit up and listen. Those rampaging butterflies needed to get themselves in to formation and ultimately, I was the only one who could do it. I acknowledged the fear, processed the reasons for it and then turned it on its head and used that adrenalin to deliver a kick-ass TEDx.

For when we want something so badly, very often, the fear of failing can feel all consuming. It’s not about banishing those fears but instead, stopping for a moment, acknowledging those feelings of anxiety and fear and processing them, understanding and rationalising them and harnessing that adrenalin to work for you. It’s ensuring your desire to succeed overrides your fear of failure because fear as a motivator will only get you so far – to be motivated by desire is much more powerful.

Fear is temporary, regret is forever

Life is full of planks at 100 metres. In work and life generally, we have so many opportunities we can embrace and go for, but if we allow our imagination to work against us, we won’t step out on that plank. One way to look at it is that when risk goes up so does the reward. It’s up to you where you put your plank, but at ground level what are the rewards like? If you don’t like the bill for taking risks, wait until the bill for not taking risks turns up because it’s paid with regrets. 

In her book Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, Susan Jeffers talks about how the fear will always be there but why should that stop us? It’s about rationalising the fear and thinking about what do we want more – the fear to cripple us, to limit what we do and achieve in life? Or to step out of our own shadow and go for it? Later on down the road, maybe you’ll laugh/cringe/feel proud of the opportunities you took but imagine if as you look yourself in the mirror, with the tell-tale signs of old age staring back at you and you think about the coulda woulda shoulda…

Because we’re not talking about fear in terms of danger here but fear in terms of putting ourselves out there. Whether it be public speaking or beginning a new venture in life – we need to get it all into perspective. What’s the worst that can happen? Yes, weigh up the pros and cons, but then, why all the umming and ahhing? Do it and reap the rewards.

The key to a life of fulfilment and one of enriching experiences, is to ensure you’re focused on the things you want rather than all the problems. Sure, you need to figure out the risk/reward ratio but if it’s just fear holding you back and your imagination imagining all that can go wrong, you’re the one who is going to lose out.

What in your life are you excited about?

If you’ve a big fat juicy and exciting challenge on the horizon, are you focusing on the end result or the problems? Are you imagining and expecting success or failure? And which would you rather be led by: fear or desire? What’s on the other side of the plank for you and what will get you across? If you expect success, you’re far more likely to get it. Sure, it isn’t guaranteed but the cards are far more likely to be stacked in your favour if you have a can-do attitude. Because what you concentrate on, you bring into your life.

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Do you use your imagination to think of the best that can happen, or do you allow your thoughts to send you in a downward spiral of self-doubt, fear of failure and catastrophising? Do you need help harnessing your thoughts to ensure they work in your favour? 

The Mindset Coaching Membership can help you understand the tools and strategies needed to be the best version of you. With Masterclass Teachings + Coaching + Accountability, we will help you to create the future you want. Find out more here. 

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