Belief in your own ability a hugely important aspect of success in your life. Padraig Harrington’s career is an illustration of the power of self-belief.
His self-belief, in tandem with his talent, has enabled him to win three Majors. His proclamation that is that self-belief has led him to his enormous success as a golfer.
In our own lives, past experiences can have an influence on current beliefs and values which can lead to consequences in career actions. ‘Introjected Values’ are unconscious values that are based on the messages people have received earlier in life from other people.
Life becomes acting a part, and incorrect career decisions can be made based on these inaccurate perceptions of themselves. The underlying message is: “you will be ok if .....you work 9-5, get a secure job, make a lot of money etc.”
It is an aspect of our life that we carry from day to day and often do not challenge. More often than not, we don’t even realise that it is there in the first place.
Many people do not believe in themselves. Successful salespeople quizzed on their own ability will often say it is due to clever negotiation skills, the quality of the product, or their ability to understand the customer, but self-belief can often be the biggest reason for their success.
If we do not believe that we can be a success, then our mind will not allow it to happen. Not only will this take place, but the people you come into contact with also sense that you lack belief.
Try selling a product you don’t believe in. With practice we can be reasonably convincing. However, if we sell a product or service that we believe in, the buyer will believe in you.
Remember, in the case of job-hunting, you are this product.
Everyone has their own set of skills and strengths, and a lot of people do not realise what they can offer. It is very helpful to have an outside party, be it a colleague or career professional, analyse your work experience and discover where your strengths lie.
As Jack Canfield wrote in his book The Success Principles: “If you assume in favour of yourself, and act as if this is possible, then you will do the things that are necessary to bring about the result. If you believe it is impossible, you will not do what is necessary and you will not produce the result. It becomes a self- fulfilling prophecy.”
Self-belief is incredibly important. Tell yourself that you will ‘give the wrong answer’, or that the competition is so vast that you will not succeed at interview, it will be evident in your body language and words you use.
Even in the medical field, there is increasing evidence that placebos have a genuine biological effect in the body.
“It's not that placebos or inert substances help,” said Linda Blair, a Bath-based psychologist and spokeswoman for the British Psychological Society. “It's that people's belief in inert substances help.”
Even for sceptics, the power of belief cannot be under-rated (believe it or not! )
Strong visualisation exercises are extremely powerful and have a dramatic influence on interview outcomes. So, next time we go for interview why not trust our self belief and not our fears. The outcome will be far more successful.
Sli Nua Careers (tel 094 95 42965, www.SliNuaCareers.com ) are based on Main Street, Headford, Co. Galway, and carry out CV Preparation, Mock Interviews, Interview Training, and Career Direction. For your free e-book on interview & CV tips, email [email protected].
