Your mindset matters–in life and in business. 

What you think shapes the way you see the world, how you show up in it, your values, and even what you believe is possible. 

The thing is, most of those beliefs are like the hidden scripts running your computer systems; you aren’t consciously aware of them. Yet they create the lens through which you perceive everything–your self, your relationships, your life, and your business.

This is why one of the greatest obstacles any entrepreneur faces on the road to building their company is their own brain, or, more specifically, their Reticular Activating System (RAS). 

Your RAS Spells “Success” S-A-F-E

Your RAS is the part of your brain that controls consciousness and the fight or flight response. This neural network is the filter through which you perceive and respond to the world around you. It cuts through the myriad sensory inputs your brain receives in any given moment to ensure the important stuff gets through. 

Instead of trying to process every bit of data your brain receives, your RAS scans for evidence that reinforces your existing beliefs to keep you secure within the boundaries of what is known and familiar. In other words, your RAS is primed for survival–which means staying safe and alive, not trying new things and challenging the status quo. 

It is this bid for biological efficiency that leaves business owners and growth-oriented individuals in a battle of wills with their own brains when they choose to pursue innovation.

Mindset Over (Brain) Matter

The good news is that the human brain is phenomenally malleable, which allows us to learn and adapt to changes in the world around us. This also means that you can effectively change your mindset by rewriting the internal narratives that are keeping you “safe,” aka stuck in your business. 

I use this simple practice with my Catapult clients because it is accessible, effective, and a great way to get clear on what you want – and where you’re getting in your own way.

Step 1: Identify a limiting belief holding you back in your business. 

Maybe it looks like:

“Being a business owner means sacrificing my personal life to support my family/make a living.”

OR

“Being a successful business owner is about doing it yourself, no matter how exhausting it is.”

This step is about building self-awareness and learning to recognize the limiting beliefs that shape your mindset. You may be aware of some internal beliefs you know aren’t grounded in truth–that’s a great place to start.

Coach’s Tip  If you’re struggling to identify a clear line of thought, spend some time sitting with where you feel stuck or at capacity in your work but haven’t been able to affect meaningful change. Pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that come up for you; they’re road signs pointing you in the right direction.

Step 2: Pick a new narrative to overwrite your old limiting belief.

Craft your new narrative from your goals, ideals, and aspirations.

“I can have a successful business that makes more than *just enough* AND have the time to enjoy my life with the people closest to me.”

Or maybe, “I deserve support. Being a successful business leader means asking for help when I need it.”

This isn’t a practice in putting on rose-colored glasses. It’s an intentional exercise in shaping your mindset. You don’t need to write a monologue, but you might find it helpful to draft a few options or a longer stream of consciousness and then define your perspective-shifting belief.

Go with what feels good to you and see what you learn in the process.

Step 3: Build up data to back up your new narrative.

Seek evidence for your new narrative in everyday interactions and experiences, as well as in your work itself. 

If you’re working on shifting the belief that you can’t have a successful business and time to enjoy your life, make a note of when you do have time to enjoy your life outside of your company. From here on out, every phone call with an old friend, night out with your lover, dinner with your family, day at the beach, or afternoon curled up with a good book–every single moment you’re living your life and having a good time–is evidence that your new narrative is true.

Every piece of evidence you gather to support your new narrative is another step towards shifting your mindset and empowering yourself to be more fulfilled

 and successful in your business and your life.

If you were my client, I would ask you to set some time aside at the end of every day to write down any (and every) piece of evidence you encountered during your day that supports your new way of thinking. When you’re done, read your evidence list out loud to your partner or your roommate, or text it to your business bestie. 

Step 4: Reinforce your new narrative.

Practice rehearsing your new belief out loud. As cheesy as it might feel, audibly repeating your new narrative helps to reinforce learning and memorization. As you collect more evidence to support your new belief and practice saying it aloud, you’ll notice that you catch yourself sooner when you start falling back into that old belief narrative.

You might feel disappointed when this happens, but remember, noticing when that thought comes back up for you is part of the process. Celebrate your growing awareness, revisit the evidence you’ve accumulated for your new belief, and return to the mindset-shifting narrative you’re writing now.

The Key to Personal & Professional Growth

Owning your own company is really an intimate journey of personal growth disguised as a business venture. It’s a surefire way to shine a light on our opportunities to grow not only as entrepreneurs, but as human beings. 

We all get stuck in our heads sometimes, but if you’re willing to do the uncomfortable work of facing where you’re getting in your own way, you can flip the script and write a new narrative that not only supports your goals and your values, but brings them to life.

And isn’t that why you started your business in the first place?