Persistence - in breaking down you own resistance

Persistence is often defined as "the refusal to give up, especially when faced with opposition"€.

There are are many suggestions and methods for creating change and becoming much more confident because of this. We are able to only make progress by giving up old habits in favour of the new ones; by altering old beliefs. It requires a distinct type of perseverance.

The resistance we encounter here originates from inside.

We can be our own worst enemy.

We grow to be experienced at uncovering ‘evidence’ to back up our present beliefs and talking ourselves into retaining them. Discussions like “I knew that would occur,’ ‘It’s usually the same”. And worst of all, “‘I’m never any good at performing that type of thing.’ Therefore we form a comfort zone that puts a restriction on our capabilities.

We need to choose consciously to set ourselves new beliefs and persist with ourselves in adopting them.

- Write down a belief you have that stops you performing at your best ("I can’t walk into a room full of strangers.", for example).
- Write down the self-talk that goes with this belief (“I am hopeless at this.”).
- Describe the comfort zone this places you in (“Meeting strangers fills me with fear so I don’t include it in my list of skills.”).
- State the opposite of your limiting belief (“I look forward to walking into a room full of strangers and feel genuinely positive about doing so.”).
- Write down the new and positive self-talk that goes with this belief (“Walking into a room full of strangers is something I feel confident about.”).
- Describe the new and expanded comfort zone this places you in.
- What is it like having this new belief?
- Visualise yourself when you have this new belief ("I see myself walking into a room full of strangers, being welcomed and chatting confidently.").
- As someone with this new found belief, take a walk and act as if you are living this new belief; become your new belief.

Now persevere until eventually your brand new thinking develops into your own “real belief”.

John Sproson