In his book Turning Pro author Steven Pressfield offers interesting perspectives on the challenges of overcoming fears and resistance in the service of turning pro, versus being an amateur. Turning pro refers to any/all life endeavors, for example, being a loving parent, spouse, employee, entrepreneur. All you have to do to turn pro is to change your mind. This should sound familiar to students of mindsets and their role in success and fulfillment. The amateur is terrified with a range of fears to include fear of success, fear of failure, fear of looking foolish, fear of poverty, fear of "not-knowing" what we think we "should" know, and fear of really living up to who or what we might be. The difference between pros and amateurs is in their habits. These habits, or repetitive patterns of thinking and behaving, can be helpful or harmful. Pressfield listed various habits the professional possesses that the amateur does not. These include showing up every day, staying on the job all day, commitment, patience, acting in the face of fear, preparation, accepting no excuses. asking for help (see an upcoming post on growth vs. fixed mindset for more on this), self-validation, persistence in the face of adversity, and the reinventing of self. But what gets in the way of these beneficial habits? Resistance, self-doubt, self-sabotage. When we struggle against resistance, Pressfield noted that we are engaged in a struggle not only on the material, mental, and emotional level but also on the spiritual as well.
Our resistance comes from many sources. These include our past experiences and our current environment. both of which influence our mindset, the set of beliefs we adopt about ourself, others, our world, and our future. Our limiting beliefs get in the way of what the psychologist Abraham Maslow referred to as our highest realization, that of self-actualization. Clarification of what we really want is a part of lessening and eventually eliminating the influence of our limiting thoughts, as well as garnering proof in support of our ability and capacity to attain what we want. Sometimes a good coach or counselor helps guide the journey.
In any event, I recommend highly Pressfield's book as you ponder what resistances interfere with your higher functioning and how you may begin to limit and eliminate them. Change your thoughts, change your life. Dr. Paul