Natalie L. Marks
DVM, CVJ, CCFP, FFCP-Elite
Fearless columnist Dr. Natalie L. Marks is an educator, consultant and former Chicago practice owner. A leader within the Fear Free movement, she was a member of the original Fear Free advisory board and is Fear Free Certified Elite. She passionately believes that all veterinarians should be committed to the physical and emotional health of their patients.
Read Articles Written by Natalie L. Marks
I recently was asked to deliver a keynote address at a Fetch conference. My initial excitement quickly turned to doubt and negativity. Did I have enough wisdom to impart to an audience? Had I achieved enough professional success to qualify as a keynote speaker? What if the attendees didn’t engage with me or laugh at my nerdy jokes? Despite being a veterinarian for almost 23 years, I was flooded with feelings of impostor syndrome. I felt tremendous fear, but after I vented to a colleague, I was quickly reminded that I wasn’t alone.
It’s human nature to experience self-limiting beliefs. They originate from a place of negativity and fear, creating significant obstacles that stall personal and professional growth. They can also be overpowering, hindering success within veterinary teams.
Let’s take the first steps together to change our personal and professional trajectories.
What Is a Limiting Belief?
I like the simplicity of this definition: A limiting belief is a judgment about yourself that you think is an absolute truth restricting you in some way. Limiting beliefs have negative overtones and are essentially false accusations emanating from your inner voice, harming your self-esteem and mental health. They are more than personal challenges because, in a group setting, they can decrease workplace creativity, hospital morale and team efficiency.
Are you curious whether you have limiting beliefs? Here are some examples of them:
- I’m not good enough.
- I’m not smart enough.
- I don’t have the experience.
- I don’t have enough time.
- I don’t have enough money.
- I’m not a great leader.
The emotion behind limiting beliefs is fear. The subconscious human brain, shaped by fears from previous painful experiences or of what’s to come, has a powerful innate defense mechanism to protect the body from future pain.
Factors influencing the formation of limiting beliefs include morals, ethics, genetics and society. Some self-limiting beliefs are influenced only by one factor and others by many. In veterinary hospitals, social circles, peer influence and a lack of mentoring often reinforce limiting beliefs.
How to Overcome One
Hospital and industry leaders must be proactive role models. This means taking time to work on our limiting beliefs and, during one-on-one meetings, helping team members work on theirs. Our colleagues are by far our most valuable hospital assets. Please encourage them to work through these five steps in private or with your mentorship.
1. Identify It
To effectively treat a disease, clinicians must have the correct diagnosis, which applies here. To change a belief, we must know what to change. Some find this step the hardest because it requires humility and self-awareness. However, writing or stating our objective starts the path to accepting imperfection. The first limiting belief I wanted to acknowledge was “I am not qualified to be a keynote speaker.”
Let’s use that example to work through the remaining four steps.
2. Challenge the Truth
Remember, limiting beliefs are almost always false internal accusations that keep us in our comfort zone. As I rationally looked at the facts, I realized my belief about being an unqualified keynote speaker wasn’t true. I had a story and wisdom from over 20 years of clinical practice, hospital ownership and investor insight. In addition, a group of respected peer colleagues and mentors had chosen me.
3. Question It
Here, we investigate and gather the facts, like how we ask patient history questions or analyze diagnostics. Take the time to build your case. Some questions that can help you through this phase might include:
- Which facts support my limiting belief, and do I have any evidence that counteracts it?
- Did I always think this way, or has something changed?
- How would I feel if I thought the opposite of my belief?
- Does the belief impede me from achieving my goals?
- What are the consequences if I hold on to the belief?
This deep dive unveiled the roots of my limiting belief. It stemmed from a fifth-grade teacher publicly shunning me while I gave a classroom speech. I recall the incident vividly and how the memory surfaces frequently when I face challenges. The belief wasn’t helping me achieve my goals and could hinder me from giving future keynotes.
4. Create a New Belief
It’s time to stop making excuses. (I’m saying this out loud to myself, too.) This step requires courage and strength, but it’s also where we start to act by choosing a new tenet to believe in — one that improves our position. I began with this: “My keynote will empower my colleagues to write their own story.” (Note: Creating a new belief isn’t just about removing the “not” in “I am not qualified to be a keynote speaker.” Instead, make it focused and factual.)
5. Practice the New Belief
Finally, don’t just state your new belief — do it! For a new belief to stick, internalize and become your new North Star, visualization is helpful. No matter the end goal, consider implementing Functional Imagery Training (FIT), a psychological technique backed by 20 years of academic research.
The FIT strategy is a multisensory experience in which we tap into our inner drive and motivations. In my case, I closed my eyes and visualized myself on the keynote stage. I saw the bright lights on my face. I smelled my lucky perfume. I felt the ground beneath my feet and the Lavalier battery pack hooked to my belt. I heard my voice, full of conviction and passion, begin delivering my keynote. I was calm, focused and ready when I opened my eyes.
Think of how invaluable a FIT-enhanced visualization can be before a new surgical procedure, a difficult euthanasia or a challenging management conversation.
Create a Cue
Empower your team members to create personalized cues like I did to overcome their limiting beliefs. Their cues might be a deep breath, a phrase said internally, a ring rotated three times, or an empowering color imagined with eyes closed. A few seconds of doing something different helps the mind break a negative cycle, become present in the moment and redirect the response.
Whether your team has been recycling the same ideas at every management meeting or you have one employee who seems stuck, identifying and removing limiting beliefs can make the difference between a stalled hospital and one with a growth mindset and positive culture.
TEST YOURSELF
Another way to question your limiting belief — the third step — is through Socratic questioning. It involves asking focused, open-ended questions to drive personal reflection. The goal is to use logical thoughts to drive emotions and behaviors. Ask yourself these three questions:
- What is the evidence of my limiting belief?
- Could I be making assumptions here?
- Are my thoughts based on an emotional reaction or the evidence before me?