Most of us know that Roger Bannister was the first man to break the four minute mile barrier.
But did you know that for years people had believed that it was medically impossible – not just difficult, but medically impossible – to run a four minute mile.
Then on 6 May 1954 Roger Bannister made the world believe that it was possible.
And from that day on, something quite amazing happened.
Over the next 18 months the previously impossible was achieved a staggering 52 further times!
There had been no breakthroughs in training. No breakthroughs in running equipment. No breakthroughs in running surfaces.
The only “breakthrough” was that Roger Bannister had forced the world to change its limiting belief – the limiting belief that the four minute mile was impossible.
He, quite literally, forced them to believe that it was possible. And that simple change in mindset transformed the business of athletics by opening up a Pandora’s box of new possibilities.
And it’s exactly the same in business.
Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year banking was “impossible”…. until First Direct made it happen.
A vacuum cleaner that never lost its suction was “impossible”… until James Dyson did the housework one day.
A pocket sized music system was “impossible”…. until Sony created the Walkman.
It was “impossible” for a young businessman working from home to become an internationally recognised and respected superstar… until Richard Branson came along.
And it was impossible to get an instant, hassle-free, 100% refund on an unsatisfactory holiday…until Thomson launched their revolutionary holiday guarantee.
The business world is littered with limiting beliefs – impossible products and services, impossible achievements and impossible guarantees – all of which have made enormous amounts of money for those who had the courage to say “I don’t believe that’s impossible”.
What limiting beliefs are holding you (or your company) back?
They always exist. Always.
Probably the single most important contribution all leaders – including you – can make to their businesses or their life is to start identifying and challenging those limiting beliefs.
Because when you do, the rewards can be enormous. Just as they have been for Branson, Dyson, Sony, First Direct and Thomson.
So …..if you want to share in their sort of success, start identifying and challenging those limiting beliefs TODAY.
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