It started with me receiving a request to perform a series of computer tasks that I was unfamiliar with. Being a relative latecomer to the world of internet marketing, I panicked. I saw myself taking a whole day to accomplish what someone else might accomplish in half an hour.

The result was a series of mistakes that let to a waste of time and effort, until I stopped and looked inside, at my state of mind, rather than outside, at the task that confronted me.

I realised that my mistakes had nothing to do with ability and everything to do with my state of mind. And my state of mind was brought on by a belief which said ‘You’re no good at working with IT’.

I then asked the following questions:

Where does this belief originate from?

Where is the evidence to support this belief?

Where is the evidence to the contrary?

What will happen if I continue to hold this belief?

What  could happen if I believed the opposite?

In what way is this belief ridiculous?

What would be a better, more empowering belief to have?

The result of this analysis was not a new belief saying ‘You’re good at IT’, but one that said ‘You can do anything you put your mind to when you are calm’. It was my ability to manage my state that was the crucial empowering factor.

The result was that I finished the task in a short period of time thereafter with no mistakes, and actually felt elated as I was doing it.

There are many ways that we can change our state, from thinking about something different to exercising to doing a different task to talking to someone.

Whatever it is, there has never been a more appropriate time for executives today to look inward for the source of their frustrations, failure and fear, and to harness the tools of the mind to secure their future.

James Irvine, Team Egyii, Singapore