What if you had the opportunity to sit front row at your favorite band’s concert, or courtside at the big game, maybe even walk the field with your favorite team? I bet you would confidently say yes, because… why wouldn’t you?

If we look at why we want to be courtside or front row, it’s simple – THE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT. Where we sit directly affects our experience and involvement in entertainment. If you have ever been courtside for a basketball game, you know what I’m talking about.

So why in life do we often choose to sit in general admission or even worse, the free seats? We even pick seats with an obstructed view or so far up in the nosebleeds that we watch the game on the Jumbotron. Why do we so often settle for a diminished experience in our own lives? Some of those reasons might sound like this:

– Things just don’t work out for me
– I don’t deserve a better life
– Love never works out for me, I get hurt
– I’m unlovable
– I can’t make money and do what I love
– I can’t afford to make dreams a reality
– Making money is too hard
– I have no special strengths
– I don’t have enough experience
– Everyone else gets lucky
– It’s not my fault, it’s how I was raised
– What if I fail
– I’m not smart
– Worst of all… I am not enough

We tell ourselves stories like this all the time. We even go to great lengths to surround ourselves with toxic people who reinforce these ideas. My advice to overcome these disempowering thoughts and beliefs is simple:

1. If you want to sit courtside, stop listening to advice from those in the free seats.
   The only people that can tell you about courtside are those sitting there.
2. If we believe disempowering beliefs, we will have matching results.
   The reverse is also true.
3. Not all your beliefs are true.
   When I was young, I believed in the tooth fairy. I was taught by my parents and friends that this wonderful little fairy would leave me money when I lost my teeth. I later found out that this wasn’t true. So, I quit putting my lost teeth under my pillow. All I did was change my belief, which changed my behavior and ultimately changed my outcome. It was that simple. I didn’t need a support group, friends, therapy, self-help book or even the willpower to stop putting my lost teeth under my pillow. All I did was change my belief.
4. See your beliefs for what they are.
   Your beliefs are either empowering or disempowering. You need to ask yourself questions like, “Is this belief keeping me in the cheap seats?” “Does it support the person I am?” Does it still work for me?” If not, DUMP that belief for one that empowers you.
5. There are enough courtside seats for everyone.
   Thinking that there are limited seats and they are all taken by other people will keep you planted in general admission.

Make the choice and come experience the emotion of sitting courtside. I promise you won’t ever want to sit anywhere else.