Change the way you perceive yourself and your reality.

What you believe about yourself is not necessarily the truth. However, these beliefs will shape your reality and keep you from breaking out of those confines to achieve what you truly want.

1. Become aware of what you believe about yourself.
   Pay closer attention to how you think about yourself. Look at the areas in your life that you would like to improve. This will give you some hints about how you truly feel about yourself. For example, if you are always angry, you might hold the belief that no one understands you.

2. Become aware of what you are gaining from these beliefs.
   For example, if you believe you can’t make money, by staying broke, you get to be right. You get to be a victim and others will offer to pay for you, buy you the things you want, etc. You get to shift the blame from yourself to others, or external circumstances. However, these “benefits” of your beliefs are exactly what is holding you back from achieving the things you want.

3. Write everything down.
   Get a journal and write down everything you have learned from the previous two steps. Look at the list of your “benefits”—these are just false rewards arising from the part of you that is too scared to try to achieve success.

4. Get rid of these beliefs.
   Flip your “benefits” into positive affirmations about yourself. For example, if one of your benefits was that staying broke will make you right, flip it to read “I am powerful and in control of my life. I choose to work hard at making money.”

5. Begin working towards your goals.
   Now, it’s time to take that first step towards your goals. Read through your journal to remind yourself to stay motivated whenever you feel like giving up.

6. Get out of your routine.
   Go to a movie on a Wednesday afternoon, change the brand of toothpaste you use, learn three new jokes, etc. Do things you wouldn’t have done before, and you will open your life up to tons of new possibilities.