Is Your Self-Image One of These Guys? (Part I)

Let’s talk about why believing is so important? To do so we, need to talk about our Self-Image. All the beliefs that we hold as truths make up our self-image. Our self-image is the picture of our self that we carry. It’s our image of the type of person we are. Most importantly, as Dr. Maxwell Maltz states, our “self-image controls what you can and cannot accomplish, what is difficult or easy for you…just as a thermostat controls the temperature in your home.” Quick reminder, our subconscious mind is an automatic, goal striving machine. Its essentially a type of auto-pilot tool that our conscious mind utilizes to get the job done when it comes to accomplishing our goals. I know, pretty cool, right? Just stay with me a minute here though. Enter Bouncer. Let me paint you a picture, maybe a cheesy one at that. We have three parties involved: the conscious mind, the self-image and the subconscious mind. I want you to picture your self-image as a bouncer or doorman at some club. You know. Big dude. Clip board. Maybe an earpiece. The guy that helps to determine which people get into the club and when. Yeah, that guy. Recap – he’s your self-image. So, lets say we have goals that we (conscious mind) want to achieve. What our mind will do is try to convey that goal to our subconscious mind. In our example, our goal wants to get inside the club to talk to our buddy (subconscious mind) so he can get to work. The thing is, these goals are being filtered and potentially “bounced” by our self-image before our subconscious gets to work on them. Why, you ask. Great question, glad you asked. Well, just like our big bouncer friend, he can’t just let just anybody in the club, right? He’s gotta keep it classy. The people he lets in have to fit the style and theme and image of the establishment. Things need to be consistent, right? Same situation. We may have a big goal. We may want to start a company, lose weight, find a partner, whatever. The problem occurs when our self-image doesn’t see our self in that light. The goal – the picture of the person we want to be – doesn’t fit the mold of our own establishment. You see, our self-image doesn’t see us as that person. For one reason or another, it’s not a believable story. And our actions must stay consistent with our self-image. So, it boils down to the fact that we have a poor self-image of our self. It’s conflicting with and rejecting the goals we want. Bottom line then is that we have a grumpy bouncer we’re working with that won’t let our goals in. Maybe we internally imposed or accepted false beliefs we gave our self. Perhaps we took other peoples’ negative comments and remarks as truths. In any case, at our very core, the perception of our self is conflicting with this image of a new me. When that happens, your self-image is tossing somebody out of the club. If it’s weight you’re trying to lose and you have a “big boned” type self-image – good luck. You won’t keep the weight off. Sorry. But how could you, really? I mean, you VIEW, and SEE and BELIEVE yourself to be X…HOW CAN YOU BE Y? See, that’s why you can do affirmations and positive thinking all day long it won’t matter. Because you don’t, at your very core, believe. You’re focusing on the desired outcomes when you need to focus on the source of the problem. So, if that’s the case, we gotta do something about this bouncer. Maybe slip him at $20 bill, bring him a cheeseburger, introduce him to a lady friend – something, anything, right? So, how do you alter and change your self-image is really the question. And what a great question. (You’re so smart.) And that’s the beauty of it all. You CAN change your self-image. As we discussed in a previous article, Thing Big Then What?, we spoke of questioning and dissecting the beliefs we’re currently holding on to in an effort to get rid of those bad limiting beliefs. In Part II, we’ll talk about adding more positive, yet realistic, truths to our belief system and self-image. Truths that, if you wholeheartedly believe and make a PART OF YOU, will set a foundation to change your life. Got to run. Talk to you soon. All the best. RK