GAILs stands for Gremlins, Assumptions, Interpretations, and Limiting Beliefs--the key energy blocks that reflect how we think about our challenges. This four-part series is designed to help us face our GAILs head-on.
Today, we tackle:
An Assumption keeps us from moving forward because we assume that because we had a previous experience that ended a certain way, we're likely to have that same experience in the future.
The key word here is assume.
This is what an Assumption sounds like:
This agent rejected me before, so there's no need to re-query him about a new project.
That editor wasn't interested in my last book, so there's no way she'll want this one.
I tried writing that kind of article before and no one wanted it, so there's no reason to try again.
Five other editors hated my book, so the sixth will, too.
That reviewer one-starred my last book, so I'm sure she'll hate this one.
We put ourselves out there, we didn't end up with the result we expected or desired, so we created an assumption--rooted in fear--to keep us from moving forward. Because it happened once, it's bound to happen again. I can save myself by not trying at all.
The problem? There's no logical way (that I know of, at least) to predict what will happen in the future. So what if 99 magazines rejected my story? It could be exactly what the 100th is looking for. Editor X might not have wanted my last book, but that doesn't mean Editor Y won't be crazy for it.
What is an Assumption's purpose? To keep our feelings from being hurt when we're rejected the second, third, and thirtieth time we contact someone or attempt something.
The key? Recognize the Assumption exists, then put it to bed.
Because when we avoid situations out of fear of what we think might happen, it becomes our status quo. And let's be real: eventually we're going to run out of magazines, agents, and editors to query.
Instead, we should ask ourselves:
What is the assumption? (Write it down. Make it real.)
How is this assumption standing in my way?
What is it keeping me from accomplishing?
What concrete evidence is there to back this assumption?
Because this happened in the past, why must it happen again?
What would life look like if I let this assumption go?
What step could I take that challenges the assumption and moves me closer to my dreams/goals?
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
Other posts in this series:
Gremlins
Interpretations
Limiting Beliefs
