Overcome Limiting Beliefs

Everyone has something that is holding them back from reaching their full potential.  Some obstacle that if you could just get around everything would be better.  Sometimes it just takes someone else to help you see how to get over, under, around, or through the obstacle.  Reminds of the scene from Rocky, Adrian you’ve got gaps, but I’ve got gaps and together we have no gaps.

Tonight I watched Tony Robbins new Show on NBC “Breakthrough with Tony Robbins“.  The premise of the show is he changes peoples lives in 30 days.  The guy on the show tonight was paralyzed on what was to be the happiest night of his life, his wedding night.  He was at the reception and had walked over to the water and was dancing the next thing he new he was floating.  From that point he and his wife lost all of the dreams of their future.  He got to the point where he would just wake up take his pills eat a meal, and wait until the next meal and round of pills.  His wife had to help him with everything.  By the end he saw that he could do things by himself and for himself and his wife realized that she needed to let and make him do things himself.  Check out a preview clip of the show below.

About 12 years ago I had dislocated my shoulders multiple times within a short few moths.  My physical therapist was a quadriplegic.  He had to describe each and every exercise to me in great detail because we was not able to demonstrate or guide me in any other way than through his words.  He had to keep extensive notes on each patients progress most of the other therapists just typed out the notes.  He used Dragon Natural Speaking and had to dictate the notes to the computer along with all punctuation, returns, paragraphs, etc.  He told me that he had always loved physical therapy and he was not going to let his situation dictate what he could and could not do.

When I drop my kids off at daycare there is another dad that paralyzed from the waist down.  He drives his kids to daycare.  When he gets there, he reaches around behind him grabs his wheelchair and unfolds it onto the ground.  He lowers himself into the wheelchair and wheels around to grab both kids and takes them in.  He’s overcome the obstacles.

In College at Indiana University I did Dance Marathon to Benefit Riley’s Children Hospital.  The Dance Marathon is a 36 Hour Dance-a-thon, no one i allowed to leave, or sleep, with just limited breaks.  It starts on a Friday night.  So, to add to the 36 hours, you’ve also been up since early Friday morning.  The last 5 hours it is very tough to stay awake  That’s when they bring in a bunch of the kids from Riley’s Children Hospital.  These are kids that are going through Chemotherapy, or have Leukemia and other ailments, yet they are so full of joy.  You realize that if they can find joy in this difficult time for them you have not right to be tired, or to even think about your problems.  It was great to seem them overcome.

The show reminds me of an old Parable of a Farmer and a Donkey:

Step It Up and Shake It Off

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule ‘braying’ -- or -- whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened…and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back…a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back…HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

“Shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up!” he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought “panic” and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You’re right! It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him…all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT’S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity…THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US! Remember that FORGIVENESS--FAITH--PRAYER-- PRAISE and HOPE…all are excellent ways to “SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP” out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

Bill Phillips, previous owner of EAS had a fitness challenge where he challenged people to transform there body’s in 12 weeks.  During the 12 Weeks the winners usually found that not only had they transformed their bodies but they transformed their lives as well.  One of the biggest take aways I had was that time will never be right.  There will always be obstacles.  If you wait for the right time you will never get started.  You must take the first step.  Begin.

The Story is not where you start.  It’s Where you Take it.

Tony Robbins

What is your limiting belief?  What is keeping you from reaching your goals?  What did you think of the show?