Why You Need to Change Your Mindset Before You Can Change Your Behaviour

How you view the world determines how you respond to people and situations in your life. Our view of the world is developed from birth and shaped by influential people in our environment and from the circumstances we go through be they good or bad.

When the time comes that we try to change our behaviour, it often causes confusion, anxiety and stress to those people in our inner circle because they may not understand what we are trying to do – that we are trying to make the world a better place for ourselves and those dear to us. This happens mostly when we learn more about life and ourselves, and when we want to change something.

Two things are relevant here:

1. No one can change your behaviour except yourself.
2. Before you can change your behaviour, you may need to change your mindset.

What does this mean? Do you have to change everything you know and start again from the beginning? No, of course not! You just have to have a more positive mindset and believe in yourself – that you can change your behaviour for the better.

How can you attain a mindset that will allow you to change your behaviour?

1. You have to be prepared to examine your thoughts and beliefs to see if there’s a better, more positive way, to approach a problem or situation.

Before making a decision, always consider the effect of any changes on the most important things and people in your life and how it will affect them. Your aim is to develop yourself and have a positive impact on others as well.

2. You have to target and change your limiting beliefs so that you can get on with believing in yourself once more.

What are limiting beliefs? Well, these are the thoughts that pop into your head that tell you “I can’t do it” or “I’m not capable of success” or “I don’t deserve it” (whatever “it” may be). These are the thoughts that limit your ability to change and grow and to become the person you truly want to be. Unless these limiting beliefs can be identified and shattered, long-term change is not possible. Change may be possible in the short-term but it won’t be sustained.

Having said that, changing your behaviour is definitely possible as long as you set your mind to it. Of course not everything comes easy. It may take time. Why do you think it takes 21 days to form a new habit? It’s because it takes 21 days for the neural pathways to reform into a new routine. Once you embrace a more positive mindset, you are able to put action plans in place to achieve your desired goal.

When you do this, you:
• build on your strengths, achieving your goals much sooner than you ever imagined;
• eliminate the pain from your life, embracing success instead; and
• gain clarity of direction that propels you towards that compelling future.

Changing your behaviour starts when you set your mind that you can. But if you’re having a hard time doing this by yourself, coaching is the answer. Professionally trained coaches help people identify where they want to be. They help them overcome challenges and barriers so they can move forward. Coaches stand side-by-side with their clients, supporting and motivating them to do their very best and keep striving to achieve their desired goals.

If you want to incorporate coaching into your organisation or become a professional coach yourself, contact the Australian Institute of Professional Coaches on 1300 309 306 or email us at [email protected].We look forward to speaking with you soon.