Exercise: Uncovering and Resolving Conflicting Self-Beliefs

Write down a specific goal or change you want to make. Be clear and specific about what you want. Use this process for all important changes or goals where you feel resistance.

Example Goal: I want to grow my own business.

Reflect on your current behaviors and actions related to this goal. Are you making progress, or are you stuck? Identify any patterns or recurring behaviors that might be holding you back.

Example: I keep researching and planning but never take the necessary steps to grow my business.

Consider what you might be subconsciously thinking that conflicts with your goal. Ask yourself:
What fears or anxieties come up when I think about achieving this goal?

What am I protecting myself from by not moving forward?

Example: I am afraid of financial instability and the risk of failure. By not starting the business, I am protecting myself from these potential outcomes.

Identify the deep-seated beliefs driving your actions. These are your underlying assumptions.

Use the following questions to guide you:

What assumptions am I making about myself, others, or the situation that keep me from achieving my goal?

Why do I believe these assumptions to be true?
Example: I believe that I don’t have the necessary skills to run a business successfully and that I will fail and lose all my savings.

Example Challenge:
Evidence: I have successfully managed smaller projects at work and received positive feedback.

Counter-Example: I know several entrepreneurs who started with limited resources and succeeded through learning and persistence.

Write down each assumption and ask yourself:

What evidence do I have that this assumption is true?

Can I think of a time when this assumption was proven false?

What would happen if I acted as if this assumption were not true?