The idea we have of work, how we perceive work, and what value it has for us is primarily related to our childhood experiences, to what our parents modeled for us, to the understanding they imparted to us as normality. This probably didnt happended consciously. We simply observe them, and whenever we then imagine our own future or play at being adults, we naturally see ourselves in the same roles as our parents.
And because our thoughts always determine our future, that’s exactly what happens then. After all, it is the only possibility that occurs in our minds. Another way is also connected with uncertainty, you don’t know what’s coming if you don’t do it like your parents.
When I was a child, I grew up understanding that:
- Work is exhausting and you have to do it because you need money.
- you go on vacation to recover from work.
- if you want to have a good life, you have to work a lot.
- the only way to earn money is to get hired. So the company is already there, the job too, you just have to do it and then you get money for it.
- when i had to think about what i want to be, i looked at a list of possible jobs to pick the one that fits my strengths…. BTW What are my strengths anyway? Oh shit. I have no clue.
- you do work in a place other than home and it takes at least 8 hours a day. And the longer you work – or are in the office – the more positively your other colleagues and especially your boss perceive you.
That’s pretty sad when you realize how little self-determination and self-fulfillment these beliefs allow. And of course, I ended up in just such a job that fulfilled all that. I asked for it!
Now such dysfunctional beliefs are anything but goal-oriented. Fortunately, they are self-imposed and can therefore be reinterpreted depending on what you want to believe and where you want to go.
Ok, let’s start questioning these beliefs and then see what can come out of it:
Why am I telling you this? I want to show you how you can change your own – often destructive – beliefs by writing them down, looking at them closely and then simply looking for the facts that fit what you want to believe or what is mentally conducive to achieving your goals.
Just like that? Yes, just like that! THE TRUTH is subjective anyway. Whether I look at the fact that there are more employees than entrepreneurs and therefore conclude that it is probably easier to get hired is just as true as the fact that there are 3.5 million companies in Germany and therefore it must be easy to start a business.
All you really have to do is ask yourself what you want to achieve and then adopt the exact beliefs that go with it. Tell yourself and others! suitable stories to the new beliefs again and again. It is only a matter of time until your own head also believes in these stories and starts to show you exactly the right possibilities so that you can achieve your goals.
What beliefs do I have today? Maybe there are a few in there for you too….
- I am best and most focused in the activities that I enjoy more than average. Then I should also do exactly that.
- If I am always oriented towards joy, then work MUST be fun. There is no other way.
- I go on vacation because I feel like it, to experience adventure and variety. Depending on how digitally and networked I work, I can of course also be productive on vacation and thus extend this time.
- Finding a profession or vocation is easy. If the term for it doesn’t exist yet, I’ll just make it up as I go along.
- Starting a business is easy.
- My optimal working time is definitely less than 8 hours a day.
- For me, a nice life has little to nothing to do with possessions. First of all it saves money and work and secondly gives me the freedom of not having to worry about things.
Having these new beliefs and living by them is not only important for me, but also for my children to internalize them and carry positive and useful conditioning with them. What impact this will have remains to be seen. In any case, the most important thing for me is to show them that work is a fun, energizing and, above all, self-determined activity.
What beliefs do you have? And which ones would you like to have?
Write them all down, hang them on your bathroom mirror or walls, internalize them, speak them out loud over and over again… until you believe them and can also tell them to others in a believable way.
By the way, this also works with other beliefs that have nothing to do with work. So you can create your own world. If you’re thinking of Pippi Longstocking now… yes, I’m thinking of her right now, too. Maybe our lives aren’t as complicated as we often tell ourselves.
So: Be a little more Pippi and have fun ;D
