MULTIPLY YOUR IDENTITY CAPITAL

Most people would agree that we are living in exciting, challenging, turbulent times.

Massive, rapid, continuing, unending changes brought about by the digital revolution followed by the fear and uncertainty of the global pandemic has made it even more difficult to survive and prosper and it has left many of us feeling some pain. Things that we felt worked only a short time ago might not work today and chances are that they will not work tomorrow.

With all the emphasize on the virtual world and how we need to ‘re-invent ourselves’ it’s important for everyone not to lose sight of your most important need and, in my opinion, that is to realise your talent and potentialities.

Abraham Maslow described Self-Actualization as “the process of becoming everything you are capable of being.”

Emerson said, “What I need most is to be forced to be as good as I’m capable of being.”

With conditions as uncertain as they are we are being forced to consciously, boldly, take hold of our thoughts feelings and emotions and look at ways we can Be, Do and Live better.

I recommend that you start the process of becoming better at what you are doing by gaining a renewed “Identity capital, is the collection of skills, relationships, and professional resources we build up over our lives.” Erik Erikson

It is how we build ourselves—bit by bit, over time. The investments we make in ourselves.

Your identity capital is what makes you, you!

Your identity capital is in direct proportion to your self-image.

It is the mental picture you have of yourself. That picture determines the kind and scope of person you are. Every day, you program your self-image to work for you, or against you.

It is your life controlling mechanism and all that you will do, or aspire to do in life, will be based upon the mental pictures that you hold of yourself.

If you can’t see yourself doing something, achieving something, you literally cannot do it. Your behaviour, achievement and performance levels are consistent with your self-image.

Dr. Maxwell Maltz, Author of Psycho Cybernetics, said that “the most important psychological discovery of the 20th century is the discovery of the self-image”

If you wish to raise your performance level, all that is necessary is to elevate the mental picture that you have of yourself. This is the mechanism that controls your life.

Your self-image operates in the same way as a thermostat controls the temperature in a building. You set the temperature at 72°which is comfortable for you.

When the temperature gets below the setting the thermostat automatically triggers on the heat until 72° is reached.

When the temperature gets too high on comes the air-conditioning until the temperature reaches a comfortable 72° again.

So, it is with your self-image and achievement level.

If you perform below your self-image you adjust up next time.

Perform too well, and your achievement is too high, and your self-image will create the necessary tension to bring you down again to where you think you belong.

Your self-image is where you think you belong, and it is this mental picture that you hold of yourself that is your thermostat that controls your life

The beliefs that you hold of yourself have been programmed into you by well-meaning parents and teachers. Their opinions about you and your capabilities have been stored in your memory bank as truth, but it is just a figment of your imagination shaded by your environment.

Recognize that you can raise your performance and multiply your identity capital and elevating your self-image by getting into the habit of talking to yourself in the right way every day. By using affirmations daily, we can keep our minds so busy thinking about what we want that there is little time to think about things we don’t want.

Remind yourself:

Whatever we focus our attention upon forms the experiences of our life.

What we radiate outward in our thoughts, feelings, mental pictures, and words we attract into our lives. Others may influence or suggest, but you are the only one that can control what your mind accepts or rejects. To keep control you must consciously choose to eliminate negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Albert Einstein

Behavioural psychologists agree that your subconscious mind is incapable of determining between real-life actual experiences, and that which you have vividly imagined. Begin today to take control and upgrade your self-image and achievement level by imagining with pictures, feelings and words, the person that you really want to be.

By dwelling upon and holding a clear vivid picture of the person you most want to become and your role in life, as if you have already achieved it, you will be giving yourself the greatest gift you can ever give.

Give yourself a preview of coming attractions. What You See Is What You Get. (WYSIWYG)

Here are some personal exercises for building a more positive self-image.

Set aside 20 to 30 minutes a day, and as you relax during this time imagine yourself achieving and enjoying your most important creative personal desires.

Picture yourself achieving a professional triumph, maybe an award ceremony, a promotion, or a bonus.

Imagine still another scene where you alone are relishing a personal victory.

Hear the approval of the crowd and see yourself standing in the winner’s circle. Get the actual sensation and vivid image of each event and how it feels to experience each one.

Amplify the pictures so that the feeling of good fortune is radiating throughout your body, and you feel really, really, good.

Try reading one biography every month of someone who has reached the top in your profession, or just someone who you’ve admired throughout your life. Close your eyes and imagine that this person is standing in front of you.

In your imagination float into their body and see and hear things the way they would see and hear them. Focus on whatever quality you are cultivating within yourself and notice what insights you get from the perspective of your role model.

Ask yourself each of the following questions:

What should I do more of? What should I do less of? What should I start doing? What should I stop doing?

Take action on your best insights as soon as you possibly can.

If you are at a tipping point in your life where you have a dream, but fear, uncertainty and doubt are holding you back from embracing it, now is the time for you to begin moving forward in making it a reality. Here are some things that you can do to help you move forward.

• Realise that you have the power to make your wishes come true • You get what you focus on • Recognize that something magical happens when you put your vision into words • Don’t keep your dream a secret • Make it come alive • Take ownership of it • Start moving in its direction by telling others what it is that you want to Be Do or have. • Write it down to make it happen!

Go as far as you can see

Identify people who are living their dream and are where you want to be.

Listen carefully to what they say and do what they do.

Identify and Dare to Dream a Big Dream! Move in its direction. Actualize it by weaving your dream into others dreams so that everyone gets what they want.

These are things that when practiced will help you to become the Self-Actualising person that you are capable of being.

A great person to Be and to Be with.

When that occurs collaborations can be harmonious and powerful, and you can achieve more than you ever thought possible. Reinvention of your business becomes easier and more enjoyable, life becomes easier, because you know who you are!

You can contact James at:

Email: james@imastrategies.com Telephone: 07789 381536 Website: www.imapractitioner.com