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A Positive Self-Image Is Key to Success in Business and In Life

It should come as no surprise to you that our ‘perceived’ limitations are far more restrictive than our ‘true’ limitations. The good news is, we can change our perceptions. 

It has been conclusively demonstrated and documented that people who expect to succeed with any given goal or venture are more likely to do so than those who expect to fail. Positive imagery and expectations tend to work as a self-fulfilling prophecy–those who expect to succeed are more likely to do so, thus maintaining and reinforcing their expectation for success.

Some analysis that addresses the underlying cause of these expectations goes like this. 

Our self-image largely determines the expectations we have for our selves. The opinion you have of yourself directly impacts and influences your self-expectations and thus your chances for success in all areas of your professional and personal life. 

If you consider yourself unattractive, you will not project yourself with confidence or self-assurance. You will blend into a crowd instead of standing out in a crowd. Your posture and body language will appear closed and you will not engage or attract the attention of others. 

If you consider yourself a slow learner, you are reinforcing a negative impression and opinion of yourself. 

If you think you have nothing unique or exceptional to offer others be it your employer, your customers, your family and friends you will remain nameless and faceless.

If you believe that you can’t be successful in business, chances are that you never will.

If you don’t challenge the negative perceptions you have of yourself they will become your reality. 

“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” Arthur Ashe

The key to unlocking success in business and in life, therefore, lies in overcoming any negative self-perceptions and creating a strong self-image. Here are 5 strategies to help you: 

1. Don’t dwell on negativity. All people experience failure at some point in their lives. Steve Jobs was fired from Apple in the 1980s before returning in the late 1990s. Michael Jordan was famously cut from his high school basketball team. Failure is inevitable–when it happens, learn your lesson and move on!
2. Step out of your comfort zone. The best way to construct a positive self image is to prove to yourself that you can succeed. Successes, even small ones, create a release of serotonin in your brain which makes you feel good, encouraging you to challenge yourself further. Whether you are learning a new language, mastering a new skill, or even something as simple as reading a book that you have been procrastinating on, setting and achieving goals is essential to creating a strong self image. You can do this!
3. Create a list of accomplishments and refer to it regularly. Once your mind has developed a habit of negativity, it takes work to change it. Keep a list of your accomplishments, both big and small, and refer to it often. Stars keep their Oscars and athletes keep their trophies. Try creating your own success journal, or post your achievements on a wall or display them on a shelf. Over time, you will begin to see yourself as you really are…an individual with unlimited potential.
4. Talk back. Talking back to your inner critic is an important part of taking away its power. Simply telling the critic you don’t want to hear what it has to say begins to give you a sense of choice in the matter. When you hear the inner critic start to speak, tell it to go away. Tell it you refuse to listen. Tell it that you know it is a liar. Tell it you are choosing instead to be kind to yourself.
5. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and ask them how you can improve your self-image. Ask them what they admire most about you and what they think your strengths are. Whatever they tell you, take it to heart and work even harder on those areas.

Limitations are part of life and they do exist. No matter how much you believe in yourself, you will encounter challenges and limitations. But you can do something about reducing and eliminating your limitations especially your perceived ones. Remember your perceived limitations are far more restrictive than your true limitations.

In order to achieve the success you desire, both in business and in life, it is essential that you remove the limitations you have placed on yourself. And it all starts with a strong self-image. Jennifer Grant International can help you achieve a positive self-image and success in all areas of your life. We are ready when you are.