Bad drivers in a Porsche
This personal story is to illustrate the powerful impact of our thoughts and limiting beliefs. Fifteen years back, I got the chance for a Porsche when Porsche Consulting tried to poach me from my role as a senior management consultant at Deloitte. Yes, the renowned car company also has a successful management consultancy arm. As part of the perks, I could have had a Porsche, likely a 911 given my level at the time.
Surprisingly, this wasn't a compelling perk for me. It wasn't merely because I generally prefer cash or tangible equity in negotiations; the primary reason was a belief deeply ingrained in me. I held the notion that a less-than-stellar driver like myself shouldn't draw additional attention by driving a fancy car. I had vivid mental images of taking an eternity to back out of parking lots or change lanes in my flashy car, with everyone around judging me. The unconscious, yet unshakable, belief was clear:
Bad drivers shouldn't be behind the wheel of fancy cars but rather concealed in less flashy vehicles.
I never questioned this belief because on the surface it seemed harmless, slightly ridiculous and felt true. And this is the trap! We often don’t even consider challenging many of our limiting beliefs because they seem insignificant and true.
Fast forward to today, as I sat in traffic, surrounded by Porsches, Teslas, Mercedes, and the like. For the first time, I realized that I would feel perfectly comfortable driving one of these high-end cars. I no longer hold this particular limiting belief. My perspective on the situation had evolved.
I've come to the realization that if people perceive you as a bad driver (whatever this means), they'll be annoyed either way regardless of the car you're in. Perhaps, they may be even more forgiving if your car is particularly eye-catching. As you can see, all these thoughts are subjective and lack absolute truth, yet they shape the reality we live in.
Reflecting on this, I wonder how many other areas of my life I've restricted due to unfounded beliefs, such as the notion that bad drivers shouldn't indulge in luxurious cars. It also makes me curious about other aspects where I might be avoiding potentially amazing experiences to shield myself from negative outcomes that haven't even materialized and may never do so.
What does it mean for you, your career, your life? I invite you to be curious about some of your own powerful thoughts today.
Some of the common ones I’ve observed in career coaching are:
“I haven’t been long enough at this company to make demands / ask for a raise”
“It’s much harder to get a job while not having one”
“I’m too young / old to change my career”
“I can’t do what I love because I need financial stability”
“It’s hard for me to be in a leadership role because I’m an introvert”
And the list goes on…You get the idea.
How do your thoughts and beliefs propel or slow you down? How do they expand or limit the life that you experience?
