How To Deal With Negative Thinking When Going After Your Goals

How many times have you thought about going after something big only to talk yourself out of it in the next breath? This way of thinking holds you back from living up to your true potential. The truth is, you can do whatever you are thinking of even if it’s something huge. 

I spent five years talking myself out of being an entrepreneur. I came up with every reason in the world for why it wouldn’t work. When I finally focused on taking action to help me believe it was a possibility, I got the courage I needed to take the leap. 

Why Do We Do It?

We talk ourselves out of doing big things because we are either afraid of failure or feel like we aren’t good enough. These are deep-seated beliefs that we may not even know we have. Thoughts like, “I need to be realistic” or “so and so was lucky, that’s the only reason it worked”. 

Another reason is that you may be dealing with fear. Change is uncomfortable, so it causes anxiety. It’s one of the biggest reasons people spend their lives in situations they aren’t happy with. Compared to the unknown, it’s easier sometimes to just take the present situation. 

Why It’s An Issue

When you don’t believe you can accomplish something, you will look for reasons you can’t. Here’s the thing though, it’s not necessary to have your whole path figured out. Get clear on your end goal, and then focus on small steps to take you a little closer. Each step you take will show you the next step. 

When you focus on the reasons things can’t work, you close yourself off to opportunity. Look for ways you can move closer to your dreams instead. It’s incredible how much you will start to see when you begin to look. 

How To Move Past It

1. Acknowledge - Avoid trying to ignore the thoughts. It’s ok they are there. Acknowledgment is the first step to change.

2. Choose another thought - If you have a low vibe thought, try thinking one a little better instead of jumping to the polar opposite. For example, if you want to lose 50lbs and you think to yourself, “I just don’t have enough willpower to lose that much weight” counter the thought with something like, “today, I will make healthy choices because I have a desire to change”.

3. Reminisce - If you feel anxious about taking action, spend some time thinking about a previous achievement you had. It doesn’t have to be related to what you are trying to do now. Think about how you started, how you learned along the way, and how you ultimately succeeded. 

4. Forgive yourself - Never beat yourself up when these thoughts come up. It took a long time for you to learn them, so it’s reasonable to think it may take some time to move on from them. Be proud that you are making changes to embrace your new life!

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