As we delved into his frustration during a coaching session, he was very forthcoming about what he believed about the job search process:  it was hard, would take a very long time, and the ideal job he wanted did not exist.  In fact, he truly didn't even want to get a job - he wanted to "build a business".  When he finally admitted all of this, it was a big realization.  He was holding himself back because of the beliefs he had about the job seeking process, what it would entail and even what would result for him (a non-ideal job!).

I shared a story with him about my friend who was laid off from her job last year. She chose to view losing her job as a great opportunity to begin a new chapter in her life.  She was excited about seeking a new job with a new company and about the new connections and experiences she would gain not only from a different job but also throughout the job search process.  Within the first month of her job search, she received four offers.  For her, it was all about expectation and belief, just as it was for my client.   She was expecting a fruitful opportunistic journey and that was what she experienced.  My client was expecting a long, difficult, and unsatisfying journey and he that was exactly what he received.

As we embark on and continue along our career journeys, or any journey in life, we must look at our beliefs and how they are serving us.   If they are not serving us well, we need to let them go. 

So, how do you do this?

Recognizing limiting beliefs is the first step and sometimes is as simple as pointing out the actual belief or story that is holding you back. Often it's more difficult to recognize these beliefs within ourselves; yet, can be so clear to others.  This was evident with my client. He was unaware that his beliefs about how difficult it would be to get a new job and that his ideal job didn't exist were actually perpetuating that situation for him.  It was very clear to me, as his coach, and became much clearer to him when I pointed it out to him.  Yet, on his own, he might not have recognized that.  If you are feeling stuck in some aspect of your career or life yet not sure what's holding you back, it may help to ask others (whom you trust) what they think might be holding you back.  This could be exactly what you need to assist you in recognizing your limiting belief.

The next step is to refocus that belief.  This takes a bit of effort because it requires thinking of the belief in a new and different way; in a way that supports the perspective you are seeking.  It's about changing the meaning of what you believe which therefore changes your mind and changes your results.  My client needed to refocus or reframe his belief to one that supported his ability to find his ideal next opportunity, which for him was not actually a "job" but an opportunity to build a business.  Through coaching sessions, we built upon his confidence in the area of building a business (which he had successfully done in the past), which was the beginning of reframing his beliefs about his ability to acquire such an opportunity.

From there, we continued to focus on his excitement about acquiring this type of opportunity and the positive impact he could make for a company by taking a piece of their business and developing it.  This also supported the process of reframing his limiting beliefs because the more positive he felt, the more eager he was to seek out these opportunities.  Suddenly the "job search" was no longer an arduous task but something that energized him. Because he was emitting positive energy, he got back the same type of results and has since begun working for a company where he is doing exactly what he wants:  developing a brand new part of their business.

It all starts with recognizing what belief is holding you back and then refocusing your thoughts to support a new and different perspective - one that can change what you believe and, as with my client, change your results.

If you think back on your life, do you see a pattern of how you mostly get exactly what you truly believe?  So, what are your beliefs about your career journey or your journey of life?  Are they limiting you or are they opening up countless opportunities for you? Pay attention to your belief system and see how it has impacted and continues to impact the outcomes of your life experiences. And, remember to enjoy the journey and expect the best!  

This month's development tip: Assess whether you have some limiting beliefs that are holding you back from progressing along your career journey (or other journey in life).  Take the steps noted in this month's article to begin to let those beliefs go by recognizing them and refocusing them so you start to see the limiting belief from a new perspective.   It's all about letting go of what doesn't work for you so you can grab onto what will!