What do you have to believe to show up, help people, and do well as a business owner?
Your beliefs, assumptions, and opinions shape the world and help you make sense of the huge amount of information and overwhelming amount of stimulation you get every second. Over the years, many "self-mastery gurus" have told us that negative or limiting beliefs tend to close doors, limit the future, and stop progress. A lot has been written (and a lot of money has been made) about how to find and get rid of limiting beliefs.
But what about beliefs that are good? It's important to be able to recognise and get rid of limiting beliefs, but it's also important to know what you "have to believe" and stand up for it. You should be proactive about what gets you out of bed in the morning, sparks your vision, drives your choices, and gives you an entrepreneurial spirit.
A "have to belief" is a way of thinking that fits with your sense of purpose, meaning, and service so well that you willingly accept it and make your decisions based on it. A "have to belief" is one that you hold with conscious commitment and self-reflective awareness, knowing that it is a belief (not a fact) and being responsible for how this belief gives your life meaning, purpose, and focus.
There is no third-party system that is absolute, verifiable, and objective that can prove a "have to believe." Instead, you learn to hold these beliefs like a skilled fencer holds a sword or a tournament tennis player holds a racquet: with a loose-and-tight grip that responds to both inner promptings and encounters with the physical world.
It's important to hold a "have to belief" loosely enough to remember that you don't have the right to force your belief on anyone else. And in this loose enough grip, there is room to question, challenge, and change what you "have to believe" as you learn and grow.
At the same time, it is important to hold a "have to belief" tightly or firmly enough that it can guide your experience (without making you blind to other possibilities) and give you emotional and spiritual support.
So what does this have to do with doing well as a business owner and being open for business? Everything, in my opinion. Every day, I see things in myself or in my clients that we can't handle without the right set of beliefs. It's not enough to take apart beliefs that hold you back. You have to take responsibility for what you believe and how you believe it if you want to come up with a meaningful and useful definition of success and plan or change your course.
Here are some other "have to" beliefs I hear from entrepreneurs, business owners, independent professionals, and artists with whom I work. Check how they fit. Notice that what you "have to believe" doesn't have to be at odds with what you know to be true.
— I have to believe that people can take care of themselves, even though I know that sometimes they can't.
— I have to believe that my success and happiness won't cause someone else to suffer, even though I know that it sometimes will.
— I have to believe that if I take care of my business well, I will be able to show up and serve.
— I have to believe that I can afford to do what's best for my client, even if it means making less money or none at all.
— I have to think that the people I want to work with are attracted to success.
— I have to believe that there are a lot of people for whom my work is a perfect fit and who will value my services enough to pay for them.
— I have to believe that my mistakes are what will make me successful in the future, and I know that this means cleaning up after myself and making up for my mistakes.
"Have to beliefs" are beliefs you choose because they make you stronger, wiser, smarter, kinder, and more resilient. They push you to be bigger, bolder, and more creative. And every "have to believe" opens up a new world of actions.
What do you have to believe to show up, help people, and do well as a business owner?
