I Know Everything

There is a quote, "In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind, there are few." When we think we know everything, it stops us from learning ANYTHING! The 'expert' mindset could be holding you back from the success you want to achieve in your business.

I know this because I have fallen into this mindset before, as have many of my clients. As a society, we think we need to know everything in our field to show our clout and confidence. We fear we won't get any clients if we share that we may not know something or that we are going to classes to learn more about a topic we are supposed to be an "expert" in. We worry that our employees won't respect us as leaders if we don't have all the right answers.

The real truth is people appreciate someone who realizes there is more to learn and that your learning will ultimately affect them in a positive way. But our ego is sneaky. It sounds good to say we are a leading expert, to think we know everything, but the truth is it holds us back from greatness and our true success.

Shakespeare's Hamlet said, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

So how do we move from our "expert/ego" mindset to a beginner's mindset? The next time your mind thinks small and tells you, "You should know this," follow this process to reset your thinking to a beginner's mind:

#1 Acknowledge the thought. Take a moment to notice when thoughts of self-doubt or the need to be an all-knowing expert arise. Most of us just run through our day, letting thoughts float by but never actually acknowledging what we are thinking. Notice how this thought isn't serving you or moving you forward to your greatness.

#2 Decide to let the thought go. How do you do this? Just say in your mind, "This isn't serving me."

#3 Tell your mind the truth. Say to yourself, "The real truth is I can't know everything, and there is a learning opportunity here that can help me grow." Notice if this process makes a difference in your thoughts or actions.

With this small shift, you can open your mind, your company, and your staff to new ideas. We don't know everything, and that's okay! What isn't okay is to close down the learning process by thinking, "I should know this." Don't let go of that beginner's mindset because that is the key to keeping us YOUNG and FRESH in our thinking. People/Clients/Employees are attracted to individuals who admit they don't know everything and are willing to listen and learn from others. Be the example of what is possible!

If you need any help with this, email me at michelle@lifeaholicllc.com I would love to schedule a no-obligation Zoom call to discuss your thoughts!