Without a positive self image your chances of success are limited, says performance coach Charles Donoghue.

Edward de Bono, says “To discover opportunities we must first become opportunity conscious.”

I believe to achieve this state of mind requires you to first examine the visions you hold about yourself. Anyone with a limited vision of themselves can read all the inspirational books, listen to motivational CD’s, attend seminars and build a massive personal library of these stimulants, but nothing will happen for them in the long term.

It is psychologically impossible for temporary motivation to accomplish long term changes in your thinking. The mind is too strong and has been too well programmed by the time you were sixteen or seventeen and creates your belief or expectations, which in turn creates the all powerful SELF IMAGE.

If that belief is full of limitations eg “ I didn’t do too well at school,” then that kind of programming only reinforces what you already believe and it becomes impossible to change your expectations for the future. Likewise if you hold a contrary belief such as, “I’m good at this or that, or I can achieve whatever I want,” then nothing is impossible.

If we all possess one hundred billion brain cells, why is it that some people are stuck in some job they don’t really like, all their life, while others soar to high levels of achievement in fields that they love? The answer lies in the brains programming. When people understand the real power that lies within their mind and that they CAN learn how to reprogram their brain at anytime, nothing is impossible for them.

We experience our expectations. Your future is predictable by your belief system and your success restricted by it.

You can have all the necessary qualifications and experience in the world
but if you limit your expectations of success you will never succeed.

Charles Donoghue is a New Zealand based high performance psychology coach and author of numerous books including Kites Rise Against the Wind and MegaThinking.