How Beliefs Influence Success

Belief is one of the most powerful tools a leader has. And yet, many leaders unintentionally destroy it. Teams can smell manufactured optimism instantly. When leaders try to hype up morale with forced positivity, people see through the facade. False cheerleading only deteriorates trust. People don’t need to be told everything is fine. They need a leader who is honest, clear-eyed about the challenges, and committed to long-term success. True belief means you see the actual pathway to victory. Leaders must discover that path, then help the team to see it so they can execute. Earlier this month, I watched a powerful example of belief play out in college football. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led the Indiana Hoosiers football team to a national championship, listed Extreme Ownership as one of the key books he referenced during his historic season. At the beginning of the football season, almost no one gave Indiana a chance of winning the national title, going undefeated, or Mendoza winning the Heisman trophy. But Mendoza’s commitment to preparation, discipline, accountability, and continual learning reflects exactly the kind of belief and ownership that drives winning teams. You can apply this same mindset to not only inspire belief, but actually achieve victory in your team. Take an honest assessment of where you and your team are, and where you need to be. Evaluate what's working, what's not, and why, and address the existing problems. Then, work relentlessly to close the gap between where you are and where you need to be. Simplify the plan, adjust tactics, reset priorities, and execute. Teams don’t need promises of success. They need to see a pathway to victory and a leader who will step up and help them achieve it.

Using fear to teach could be hurting our kids. Research tells us there's a better way. Many of us believe that teaching our children to see the world as a dangerous, unfair, or hostile place is the best way to protect them. But what if this approach is fundamentally flawed? Research by Jer Clifton and Peter Meindl (2022) suggests that instilling negative world beliefs at an early age might do more harm than good (link in comments). For example, the belief that the world is inherently dangerous or unfair can lead to increased anxiety, reduced life satisfaction, and even diminished job success. Here's the twist: The same research indicates that those who see the world as safe, just, and abundant tend to have better outcomes across the board. They're healthier, happier, and more successful. How can we apply this to our own lives? ➙ Embracing a Positive Outlook: Cultivating a belief in the goodness and abundance of the world. ➙ Fostering Resilience: Teaching ourselves and those around us that challenges are a part of life, but they don't define the world or our place in it. ➙ Encouraging Flexibility: Balancing awareness of risks with the belief in possibilities. Caution is wise, but not at the cost of opportunity. Our beliefs shape our actions and outcomes. And choosing hope over fear may be the answer we've been looking for. #Leadership #PositivePsychology #Resilience #Parenting #Success

As a corporate drop-out turned successful business owner, I’ve experienced first-hand the transformation when you shatter limiting beliefs. Here are the top nine limiting beliefs every entrepreneur needs to break: "I don’t have enough time." - Time is about priorities. Make your business a priority, and time will follow. "I need to do everything myself." - Delegation is not a loss of control, but a path to growth. "Failure is not an option." - Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success. You will never grow if you never experience failure. "I must stick to what I know." - Growth is in the unknown. Explore, innovate, and expand your horizons. "Competition is too fierce." - Focus on your unique value, not the crowded marketplace. It’s not always a numbers game.  "I need to have a perfect plan." - Action trumps perfection. Start now and refine as you go–I promise you won’t regret it a year from now. "It’s too late to start." - Success has no age limit. It’s never too late to pursue a different life. "I’m not skilled enough." - Skills can be learned, but passion and drive are irreplaceable. "What if I fail?" - Ask instead, “What if I succeed?” Shift your perspective to what's possible. Breaking these beliefs transformed my life and business. Mindset is EVERYTHING! Ready to break through these barriers yourself? Let’s discuss in the comments your experiences or which beliefs you’re challenging!

You keep hearing it: “No one’s hiring.” But that’s not the full story. The market’s not the only thing moving slow, it’s your beliefs that are slowing you down. 2 weeks ago, I coached a PM who said, “No one is hiring.” He sent 43 apps with a generic resume, no follow-up, no plan. When we unpacked it, the issue wasn’t the market. It was his system- he has NONE. After one coaching session, he made huge progress. → He picked five companies he actually cared about. → Reached out to two hiring managers directly → And landed an informational interview that same week. Fix the system, and the market starts to move. Here are some of the beliefs that quietly hold PMs back and how to REFRAME them: 1. No one is hiring. ↳ Companies are hiring every week. My turn will come. 2. I must apply to 10 jobs a day. ↳ I apply with intent, not volume. 3. Networking never works. ↳ I connect with people who share my values. 4. No time for self-care. ↳ Rest is fuel. It makes me better. 5. My resume speaks for itself. ↳ I tell my story for each role. 6. I never hear back. ↳ I follow up. Consistency wins. 7. I’m too old/too young. ↳ My experience or energy is my edge. 8. I failed that interview. ↳ Every interview is practice for success. Try this 15-minute reset today: 1/ Pick one belief holding you back. 2/ Rewrite it in your own words. 3/ Take one small step - send one DM, research one company, or tweak one resume line. 4/ Track the win. Repeat tomorrow. Every PM I coach who stick with this sees a shift within two weeks. Not because the market changed but because they did. You don’t need to hustle harder. You need a simple system and beliefs that push you forward. P.S. Which belief will you reframe this week?

The difference between success and stagnation? It's not your talent or timing. It's the beliefs you tell yourself every single day. I've watched incredibly talented people sabotage themselves,  All because of their beliefs and inner monologue. And I've done it too. When I was building GrowRev, the biggest obstacles weren't external. They were the stories I kept telling myself about what I could and couldn't do. It all came down to replacing self-limiting beliefs with empowering ones: 🔄 "It's too late to start over" → "It's never too late to chase your dreams" Most people convince themselves they've missed their window. But there's no expiration date on ambition. I've seen people pivot careers at 40, 50, 60 and crush it. The only thing holding you back is the belief that you're too late. 🔄 "They're so far ahead of me" → "They inspire me to be better" Comparison will destroy you if you let it. Instead of letting someone else's success make you feel small,  Let it show you what's possible. Use it as fuel, not an excuse. 🔄 "What if I fail and everyone sees?" → "Everyone is too focused on themselves anyway" This one kept me stuck for years. But in reality, most people aren't watching you that closely. They're too busy worrying about their own performance. And the ones watching are rooting for you more than you think. 🔄 "I need to prepare heavily before starting" → "Get started and figure it out later" Preparation is procrastination in disguise. I wasted months planning instead of doing. Real education comes from taking action, not waiting for the "right time." Start messy. Adjust as you go. 🔄 "They will judge me" → "The right network would never judge you" If you're surrounding yourself with people who judge your efforts,  You're in the wrong rooms. The right people celebrate your ambition, not tear it down. Build a network that lifts you up, not one that keeps you small. Self-limiting beliefs are the biggest reasons why people don't get started. Remove them now and you will go further than 99% of people. Because when you start building from a place of confidence instead of fear,  You're attracting the people and opportunities that really matter. Which of these beliefs do you need to replace right now? Drop it in the comments and I'll give you my take. Want strategies to build a network that moves you in the right direction?  My weekly newsletter, Network to Net Worth, is your playbook. Subscribe here 👇 https://lnkd.in/gFp5bEbt ♻️ Repost to inspire your network.   And follow me Rohan Sheth for more mindset shifts like this. 

Your mindset determines your business success more than your strategy. I've worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and… most of them failed. The majority had flawless business plans, perfect market research, and bulletproof operational systems. But it didn’t seem to work out for them. Then I've seen college students with basic ideas and zero experience build million-dollar businesses from their dorm rooms. The main driving factor here is their belief system. The entrepreneurs who failed spent months perfecting their plans but never believed they deserved success. They sabotaged themselves with limiting beliefs about what was possible. The college students didn't know they were supposed to fail. They took massive action because they hadn't been conditioned to think small. Your psychology determines your actions, and your actions determine your results. You can have the best cold email template in the world, but if you don't believe you deserve responses, you'll never send enough emails to make it work. This is why most business advice focuses on the wrong thing. Everyone wants the next hack, the perfect framework, the secret strategy that will change everything. Your beliefs create your reality. If you believe you're not cut out for entrepreneurship, you'll find evidence to support that belief every day. If you believe success is inevitable, you'll persist through every obstacle until you prove yourself right.

𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴—𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀. We often think of belief as something abstract or intangible, but belief is one of the most practical tools we have. When we truly believe in a new possibility, we approach it differently—we take risks, solve problems creatively, and inspire others to join us. Belief doesn’t magically make things happen, but it creates the mindset and momentum to make things possible. It’s what transforms a bold idea into a real-world breakthrough. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 1. 𝗜𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: When you believe something is possible, your brain shifts gears. Instead of asking, “Could it be done?” you ask, “How can we find a way to make it happen?” That subtle shift fuels creative thinking and opens doors to innovative solutions.   2. 𝗜𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Belief moves you from dreaming to doing. When anchored in belief, you’re more likely to take bold action, even in the face of uncertainty. It’s what keeps you pushing forward when the path is unclear. 3. 𝗜𝘁 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Belief is contagious. When you genuinely believe in your vision, others will see it, feel it, and want to be part of it. Whether it’s your team, customers, or stakeholders, belief inspires trust and commitment. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳: • 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀: If belief feels like a leap, build it incrementally. Tackle one small challenge and celebrate that success. Each step builds confidence in your ability to achieve more. • 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Often, we limit our belief with outdated thinking or assumptions. Ask yourself, “What would I try if I knew I couldn’t fail?” • 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀: Belief grows in the right environment. Surround yourself with people who challenge and support you, who remind you of your potential when doubt creeps in. Belief is the catalyst that turns possibility into progress. It's not just optimism, though—it’s a deep conviction in your ideas and, ultimately, a starting point for shaping the future you want to see. With real belief, creativity and action follow, and the possibilities are endless. Let’s get to work.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆? I've had conversations with many people surrounding 😨 stepping out of corporate roles 😨 dealing with resistance to change 😨 pain of soured relationships 😨 fear of authority 😨 imposter syndrome 😨 uncertainty of taking on leadership It's probably easier to just keep doing what you do. "No need to think so much." Well, that's ostrich syndrome. And feeding yourself limiting self-talk which I posted about some time back. It's important to have accuracy of navigation, not just destination alone. You did not choose most if not all your beliefs. Most are built unconsciously, many from childhood. Un-useful ones must be updated. A belief can be tangible. Just look into the linguistic structure of your self talk. Often, a belief is linguistically structured as A = B (complex equivalent) A causes B (cause and effect) Under condition X, I have/need to/must/should Y (modal operator necessity) If X happens, I can't/won't/shouldn't Y (modal operator of impossibility) The reason why you tend to hold on to old versions of yourself And why setting goals does not make a difference Is because you are changing the superficial behavior instead of addressing the belief that makes new behaviors possible. Here are 6 steps to elevating your belief. 1️⃣ Assess the outcome you need. What do you want, really? 2️⃣ Address current beliefs that keep you where you are. What do I believe about the world? 3️⃣ Identify how your belief is inaccurate. You can do this by looking at alternative worldviews. ✅ Role models ✅ Metaphors ✅ Analogies ✅ History 4️⃣ Challenge your belief. How are they inaccurate? What are different possibilities? If you thought "I can't be a leader because I will be overwhelmed and burnout", look at leaders who are not burnt out as role models. Also look at people who are burnt out even though they are not leaders. 5️⃣ Reassess rigidity of belief. Most beliefs will be rigidly or stubbornly held. If you are going to build self-efficacy, you need old beliefs to be "loose". After challenging and finding alternatives, do you find your old belief to be less tightly held? 6️⃣ Create a new belief. Then, maybe a belief you want is "I can lead and still be healthy and sustainable". How will this be possible to believe? 7️⃣ Build a new set of behaviors to support that belief. What can you do that strengthens that belief? Maybe you can take on a small leadership portfolio. Or, develop solid self-care methods. I often center my conversations with my coaching clients and executive coachees around their belief system. That's why I get results. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘱𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺?

The Power of Mindset: Unlocking Women’s Potential in the Workplace The way we think about ourselves significantly influences our behavior. This is evident when comparing women who have excelled in traditionally male-dominated fields to those who have opted out. Self-efficacy and belief in one’s success and competence are common traits among persistent women, whereas those who do not make it often exhibit self-doubt and a lack of confidence. ⚡ Oprah Winfrey once said, “The outside world is constantly trying to convince you you’re not enough. But you don’t have to take the bait…” This resonates deeply with the challenges women face in reaching the top echelons of their fields. ⚡ Personal Mindset Barriers Women often undervalue their own competence, adhere too rigidly to guidelines, fear failure, and may experience a decline in ambition. These limiting beliefs create significant barriers. Dr. Boyatzis of Case Western Reserve University highlights that women tend to self-evaluate as less competent compared to men, who often overrate their abilities. Despite this, the reality is frequently the opposite. This mindset impacts job applications as well. Women typically feel they need to meet 100% of the criteria, while men apply after meeting only 60%, leading to fewer applications from women and a self-screening process that limits opportunities. Fear of repeated failure and the perceived daunting odds of success further contribute to this issue. 📖 Anna’s Story Take Anna, a junior project manager at a large consulting firm. Despite delivering successful projects and receiving positive feedback, she wasn’t considered for larger, global projects because she never expressed her ambitions. Her manager assumed she wasn’t interested, while Anna believed her performance alone would secure her advancement. It wasn't until Anna voiced her aspirations that she was given a challenging international project, which became one of her best professional and personal experiences. ⚡ Challenging Assumptions Assumptions often constrain our thinking. In our imagination, we form patterns and self-imposed boundaries that limit our potential. For example: “She has two small kids; she won’t have time for the project.” “He is an introvert; he won’t be a good leader.” Leaders must challenge these assumptions and encourage employees to think outside the box. Next time you catch yourself making a judgment about someone’s background or working style, consider whether this attribute could be an asset. What are your experiences? Nicola Bramwell; Line Stigen Raquet; Sina Thonipara; Lena Kettler; Lena Beck; Anja Wegmann; Anja Zapka-Volkmann, Cathy Ward #WomenInLeadership #MindsetMatters #BreakingBarriers #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerGrowth #WomenEmpowerment

I talk a lot about how self-belief is key among founders - unwavering self-belief as a firm foundation. In psychology we talk about #selfefficacy – an individual’s belief in their capacity to act in the ways necessary to reach their specific goals. It affects every area of human behaviour, and I first understood it in relation to people controlling their health behaviours. But it’s so apt in business too. Whether you are trying to fundraise, or lead a team, or scale your business, you hold a set of beliefs regarding your power to affect situations. These beliefs influence both the power a person actually has to face challenges competently and the choices they are most likely to make. So, what makes this so relevant to founders, and to me as a coach? Take a founder with high self-efficacy. They: 👍 view challenges as things that are supposed to be mastered rather than threats to avoid 👍 recover from failure faster and are more likely to attribute failure to a lack of effort 👍 approach threatening situations with the belief that they can control them 👍 make more effort to complete difficult tasks, and persist longer in those efforts These things have been linked to lower levels of stress and at lower vulnerability to depression In contrast, founders with a low sense of self efficacy: 👎 view difficult tasks as personal threats and are more likely to avoid these tasks as they lack the confidence in their own skills and abilities 👎 focus on the skills they lack rather than their strengths and they are therefore less motivated to set, pursue and achieve their goals as they believe they will fall short 👎 find it easy to give up and lose faith in their own abilities after a failure, resulting in longer recovery process from their setbacks and delays Low self-efficacy can be linked to higher levels of stress and depression. Take the example of meeting a potentially key investor: ↗️ With high self-efficacy the founder will not see the situation as threatening but view it as a challenge they can master. ↘️ With low self-efficacy a founder will worry about what weaknesses they have that will show up and tend to want to avoid the situation because they know they’ll take time to get over another NO. The good news? You can improve your self-efficacy. A post to follow on this. Had to share Dall-E's attempt at a graphic for low self-efficacy. It said it had some 'minor generation issues'. We're all safe with AI for a bit longer 😀