I’ll never forget the day my old computer finally pushed me over the edge.
This was years ago, and every morning I’d sit down at my desk, press the power button, and hold my breath. Error messages would pop up one after another. Programs would crash. Sometimes, the whole system would just freeze.
I remember thinking, “This computer used to work perfectly. What happened?”
Have you ever had something like this happen to you? Where something that once worked beautifully now just… doesn’t?
I tell you this because it reminds me of something I’ve noticed about beliefs – especially in business. Just like my old computer (thank goodness I have a new one that works beautifully now!), beliefs that once led to success can become serious obstacles in today’s fast-changing world.
I see it happen all the time with the business leaders I work with. They hold onto beliefs that worked perfectly in the past, but now, these same beliefs are holding them back. And the scary part? Most don’t even realize it’s happening.
Let me share a story that really brings this home.
The Cost of Holding On: Lessons from Polaroid and Nokia
For decades, Polaroid was the name in instant photography.
Can you remember the feeling of shaking those photos, waiting for the image to appear? The leadership at Polaroid remembered too – maybe too well. They were so convinced that people would always crave holding a physical photo that they couldn’t see the digital revolution coming.
Here’s what’s fascinating: Their CEO I. MacAllister Booth told stockholders that “as electronic imaging becomes more prevalent, there remains a basic human need for a permanent visual record.”
Does this sound familiar? Have you ever been so sure about something that you couldn’t see another possibility?
The same thing happened at Nokia. In 2008, while Apple was revolutionizing mobile technology with touchscreen smartphones, Nokia’s CEO dismissed the iPhone as a “niche” product.
Can you believe it? They were so attached to their belief about traditional mobile phones that they couldn’t see the future unfolding right in front of them.
These companies weren’t foolish – they were just stuck in obsolete beliefs. They saw their assumptions as “the” truth rather than “a” truth. And that’s exactly what I want to help you avoid.
The Power of Perspective: How Morty Helped Baby Bells Shift Their Obsolete Beliefs
Let me share something remarkable that happened when AT&T was broken up into several Baby Bells.
These companies suddenly found themselves in a whole new world – no more monopoly, no more guaranteed customers. They needed to change, but how?
This is where my husband Morty came in, and I wish you could have seen him work. He had this amazing way of helping people see things differently. But at first? The employees weren’t having it. Picture a room full of crossed arms, blank stares, and even some hostile looks. These folks had sat through countless corporate trainings that never addressed what really mattered – their beliefs about their jobs.
Using the Lefkoe Belief Process – Changed Environment®, Morty guided them through seven key steps.
Let me walk you through what happened:
- He first asked, “What do you do every day?”, they described their tasks: installing equipment, maintaining service lines, handling technical issues.
- Then came the crucial question: “What do you believe about your job that has you do what you do?” Their answer was telling – they believed their only job was to make the equipment work.
- Where did that belief come from? It had been drilled into them from their earliest training.
- Did this belief make sense at the time? Absolutely! In a monopoly, keeping the system running was everything.
- But what about today’s reality? Everything had changed. Customers had choices now. Competition meant that service and satisfaction mattered more than ever.
- This led to a powerful shift in belief: Instead of seeing themselves as just “Service Technicians,” they became Customer Satisfiers.
- And you know what naturally followed? Their whole approach changed – from just fixing technical issues to ensuring customers were happy and loyal.
The results? They were incredible. These companies saw their customer satisfaction scores soar from the mid-70s to the mid-90s on a 100-point scale.
How You Can Break Free from Obsolete Beliefs in Your Business
I often tell my clients that every business holds beliefs about its market, customers, and industry. Some of these beliefs still serve you well. Others might be holding you back, just like they did with Polaroid and Nokia.
Here’s what I want you to try:
- First, notice your current beliefs. What “truths” is your business operating by? Maybe it’s something like “Our customers will always prefer in-person service” or “People won’t pay for digital products.”
- Then, examine where these beliefs came from. Were they formed in a different time? Under different market conditions?
- Here’s the big one – question their validity. Is this belief the truth, or just a truth?
- Look at today’s environment. Really look. How have your customers’ expectations changed? What about technology? Competition?
- Finally, create a new, empowering belief that fits today’s reality.
A Final Thought About Change
You know what I’ve learned after years of doing this work?
The world changes faster than we realize. Holding onto outdated beliefs doesn’t make you loyal to tradition – it makes you blind to opportunity.
I invite you to ask yourself: What belief is my business holding onto that no longer serves us? The answer might surprise you – and it could be the key to your next breakthrough.
And please, if you’ve ever let go of an obsolete belief and seen your business (or life) transform, I’d love to hear about it. These stories touch my heart, and I read every message.
Want to Free Yourself from Limiting Beliefs?
You know what I’ve noticed? Obsolete beliefs don’t just hold back businesses – they hold back people too. If you’ve ever felt stuck in self-doubt, fear of failure, or the need to prove yourself, you might have outdated beliefs running the show.
I want to share two powerful ways you can break free:
First, there’s the Natural Confidence Program. It helps you identify and eliminate those limiting beliefs that keep you from taking action, feeling confident, and fully expressing yourself. Thousands of people have already used it to break free from self-imposed barriers. If you prefer a self-guided approach that tackles the most common limiting beliefs, this program might be perfect for you.
Or, if you’re facing specific challenges and would benefit from personalized guidance, I also offer one-on-one Belief Elimination Sessions. In these sessions, we work together to uncover your unique limiting beliefs and eliminate them using the same powerful process that’s helped my clients transform their lives and businesses for over 30 years.
Whichever path feels right for you, I’d be honored to be part of your journey.
You can learn more about Natural Confidence by clicking here.
Or schedule a free strategy session to explore one-on-one work by clicking here.
