Identifying self-limiting beliefs and changing them through an intentional process is called cognitive therapy. For example I may have an unexamined and unacknowledged belief [idea] that 'no one would be interested in reading what I write'.
This belief would obviously make it difficult if not impossible for me to write consistently, and even if I did, to market it enthusiastically.
We use the process of cognitive therapy to clearly identify these self-limiting beliefs, investigate their real absolute validity, and change them for better or more useful ones. In ways that stick.
There are many techniques to engage with cognitive therapy. Here is one as an example.
- Is this idea that no-one would be interested in what I write, true for me? -- Well yes, obviously
- Is it absolutely true. In other words has no-one ever found anything I write, of interest? -- Well no, it's obviously not absolutely true. And here I list a few real examples, confirming for sure that it's not.
- How do I act and behave when I treat this idea as absolutely true? -- List the real behaviour. I dread writing, find it difficult to write, feel overwhelmed and helpless, I don't write ...
- So what would an opposite or more useful belief be? -- Well, that 'these types of people', 'who have these interests', find what I write interesting and useful.
- How would I act if I had this new idea or belief? -- I would feel empowered and more confident, I would write for that group of people, publish in forums they met, I would write more often, I would write ...
The false and irrational belief that no-one finds my writing interesting, derailed my writing process. The true and rational belief that a particular niche would, empowers it.
It's often very difficult to do this by yourself. A skilled coach or therapist should quickly be able to help.
No comments:
Post a Comment