Gremlins, Assumptions, Interpretations, Limiting Beliefs: Actors On Our Mental Stage

As business owners, one of our challenges is to recognize when our GAIL’s are driving the business bus.

The G stands for the Gremlin in our head, that drives us to hide our fear behind command and control tactics because we aren’t smart enough, lucky enough, rich enough, etc.

Our assumptions, that’s the A, can convince us that because something happened to us once, it WILL happen again. That one keeps people locked and loaded in habits that no longer serve the business or the owner, but it is familiar and it worked in the past.

Interpretations, the I, can allow us to explain away our troubled relationships, failures and less than spectacular results. When we rely on interpretations rather than data collected from colleagues, peers, or self-awareness practices, we leave ourselves vulnerable to going through life with blinders on.

Finally, the L, limiting beliefs provide a framework that creates golden handcuffs, cages, and chains on our possibilities to find resolution and success.

Let’s take a quick 3 question GAIL quiz.

1. My business is special, unique and has a high value ROI. Who likes this one? Type in “me” if this is part of your thought process.
2. Time: I have plenty of time to plan an exit strategy! I don’t have enough time to work on ….I don’t have time to teach Amy to do that! Do either of those thoughts circle in your brain’s drain?
3. I AM this business! I am “The Man”. If I want something done right, I have to do it myself. It all depends on me- I can’t take a vacation, the place would crash if I didn’t answer the phone….hmmm, anyone recognize themselves in this one?

Folks, if you answered yes to any of these questions, you failed the quiz. And, you have just been introduced to the GAIL’s that can interfere with your company’s growth and success! We will explore GAIL’s and connect the big impact of small shifts in these next few weeks.