This might seem to be a daft statement. Who in their right mind would set out on any endeavor with such a question?

You'd be surprised!

How many times have you thought about or actually started doing something with a nagging doubt about your own ability to perform or a preconceived escape route already worked out?

Have you ever dismissed a 'great idea' you were enthusiastic about because you figured out that it could not work even before trying it out?

Sometimes we withdraw from the contest when we see the opposition pass us on the track despite the fact that we know that our idea or plan is at least as good as theirs or even better.

Why?

There are a number of reasons why we might have trouble achieving our dreams. The obvious ones include: 

• Fear

• Lack of confidence

• Past experience

• Low self esteem  

However there is one aspect that we hear little about—that is our 'subconscious expectancy'.

It may be that whatever action we take or idea we think about is tarnished with a background thought: 'Don't build your hopes too high because you will probably fail anyway', or 'Brace yourself for disappointment', or 'I can't do that!' or any number of negative feelings.

Despite our own positive outward actions and willpower, it is the background 'chatter' that will control us in the long term.

These P.S's that we place on the end of every thought process, most times without realizing it, can have the effect of neutralizing our enthusiasm, causing procrastination and eventually sabotaging the whole idea or effort.

How do we conquer this negative subconscious expectancy?

Everybody is different. We all have had different experiences in life and therefore we all need different answers. It is up to each one of us to examine our own motivations, reasons and desires in order to discover what, if anything, is holding us back.  

Take time for yourself 
There's no point in carrying on regardless with your head in the sand. I have on many occasions said the right thing knowing secretly that my actions would properly be different, in other words avoiding facing up to reality out of fear or confusion.

It is so important to take time out to examine your real reasons for doing things and to uncover the real thoughts that could be holding you back. It's only when you face up to your true background thoughts, that you'll be able to overcome them.

Examine your true motivations
Don't be put off if you realize that you have limiting thoughts. Be glad that finally you are on track to real success.

In England we have a standing joke about the excuse for trains being late given by the railroad companies that 'there were leaves in the line'. How can a few small leaves slow down a powerful locomotive weighing several tons? The fact is that they do! Likewise a few small misplaced thoughts can bring your success train to a halt.  

Ask yourself the right questions
It's so important to ask those questions that you would rather not ask. These are the ones which you've been avoiding; the ones which might hurt a little. But unless you are totally honest with yourself, you will never get the true feeling of peaceful success.  

Be patient for the answers
It took a long time to create all the negatives; so it might take a while to release them. However, don't use this as an excuse for not continuing rapidly on your journey to success. It might just be that the next answer to a question is around the next corner.

Write down everything 
I've found that if I write down my thoughts and feelings, it gives clarity and a source of future reference when I stumble off the track a little.  

Ask others to help 
It can be helpful to have some people you trust tell you what they feel might be holding you back or might be a hindrance to you. This can be a humbling experience and you might find yourself getting a little hurt when they reveal the things that you have been avoiding. But if you are strong enough and really want to uncover your barriers, this could be a useful route. However, be VERY CAREFUL whom you choose to help you. Only take the things that appear right to you and bin the rest.  

Take action 
The journey to success is all about action, not necessarily giant leaps but a constant stream of putting one foot in front of the other. As you uncover negative thoughts, recognize them, acknowledge them, record them and then move on.

Eliminate fear 
As you begin to face up to your limiting thoughts, your 'negative subconscious expectancy', you will find that fear will slowly melt away. You will become bolder, stronger and more self-assured.  

Remind yourself constantly 
The secret to success is learning from your experiences, good and bad. So whenever you find yourself sliding, take time to remember and recall all the lessons learnt from those past experiences. You'll be amazed just how far you've come. 

Editor's Note: For a short related article by Michael Angier, see Expectancy. 

Malcolm Harvey - Publisher of 'The SuccessTrain' Success is a journey not a destination. For FREE provisions and route maps go to: www.successtrain.com  To subscribe to 'The SuccessTrain' send a blank email to: mailto:subscribe@successtrain.com?subject=subscribe