Do you believe that optimal wellness is possible? Your answer will determine whether you can achieve it or not.

Beliefs are interesting—and powerful—things. When they are in alignment with who we want to be, they can enable us to achieve things that others believe to be impossible. When they are based on inaccurate thoughts about ourselves, other people, situations, or events, they can block us as effectively as a brick wall.

Take running a four-minute mile as an example. Lots of people do that regularly now, but in 1954 it was believed that running a four-minute mile was not only impossible, it was dangerous. Roger Bannister saw those limitations as an opportunity, and on May 6, 1954, he crossed the finish line in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. Once he did it, others believed it, and less than two months later another runner broke his record. Just a few weeks ago, Marathoner Patrick Makau averaged about 4 minutes, 43 seconds per mile, lowering the marathon world record by 21 seconds.

If you don’t believe something is possible, you may not even try to achieve it. If you do try, you aren’t likely to give it your all. There will always be a part of you holding back. It’s like having the parking brake on and wondering why you aren’t getting up to full speed.

My favorite definition is the one offered by Abraham-Hicks, “A belief is just a thought you keep thinking.”

When we examine our beliefs and look at the thoughts behind them, we can often determine if those thoughts are serving or hindering us. By shifting those limiting thoughts to ones that support us, we change our beliefs—and significantly improve the chances that we will achieve our goals.

Go back to the question I asked at the beginning of this blog. If you answered “No,” look at the reasons why you believe that. Where did those thoughts come from? How accurate are they? Has anyone else ever had a different outcome? What effect has that belief had on your life? Is that belief in alignment with who you want to be or how you want to live your life? How could you shift your underlying thoughts to support you in creating the life of your dreams?

Believing it is the first step in achieving it.

Together we can do it!