The self storage industry is evolving at a fast pace these days.

I’ve been having to deal with issues the second half of this year that I haven’t had to face before.

• Extreme overbuilding in some markets

• Extreme price cutting by large players in certain submarkets

• Property tax increases in many markets simultaneously

• New online marketing techniques

• Competition price changes daily

Just to name a few.

Then there is still the overpricing and continued low CAP rate listed facilities.  We have to find and figure out how we can buy them, put them into service, and make a profit.

So as the year comes to an end, as you saw in last week’s episode,  I missed one of my yearly goals, putting $30 million into service in 2017, by a large amount.

So the work is to get that complete, leave it in this year, and create something new for 2018.

But, for me, I am noticing anything I come up with, there is an immediate nagging.  It’s like a background, undefined, conversation…no a belief that goes something like “Sure you can. What makes you think you could ever do THAT. You have failed before, and you most likely will do so again.”

It’s not completely formed in words, but the feeling, and if pushed to put into words, it would come out something like the above.

Do you know what I am talking about?

Have you ever felt like how in the world could someone like me ever do that?

I think we all do. If you don’t ever have disempowering beliefs, you are either not connected with your feelings, or not up to much in life.

Fortunately, I know what to do when I have these nagging, disempowering thought and beliefs.

Given I am currently dealing with them as I grow my self storage business, I thought I may share my practice with you.

If I experience them, and most of us do, perhaps this can help you. Especially as we go into the next years of getting in or growing our self storage business.

If you have been working in the business at any level at all in 2017, I am sure you have had some frustrations.

Those frustrations can quickly turn into thoughts that we make mean something about ourselves.  And presto…a disempowering belief.

Nothing I say here is original. Everything I say has been taught to me. Two of the main sources are Byron Katie and Tony Robbins. I am sure there have been others.

When I have this experience, which I do often, this is what I have thought to do. Let me share it with you.

It has made a huge difference in my life and there is no limit to the areas it can help.

So as I am beginning to create what next year is going to look like, and I have that nagging thought, I put it into words.

Don’t make it fancy.

I have noticed when I talk to myself in my head, I am talking at about a 12 to 14-year-old conversation level (I have grown up some over the past few years). That is how I would say what I am thinking.

Write it down. Be real, not fancy.

Then look at what you have said about yourself, or the situation, or whoever else you may be thinking about (this process also works great when dealing with disempowering beliefs about other people).

Now there are three to four steps.

Ask these questions.

1. Is It True? (If no go to question 3)

Now really ask this. And your first answer (or at least mine is) always YES.

But really. Is it REALLY TRUE?

IS IT REALLY TRUE?

2. Could there be another interpretation? Can you absolutely know it is true?

You will get to the point where you realize, not in your head, but really get in your gut.   What you are telling yourself isn’t TRUE, it is just one of many possible things you could have said.

3. How do you react, how do you feel when you have that thought?

Don’t dodge this question. I have to sometimes force myself to stay here. But do so.

Who would you be/ what would be possible if you didn’t have that thought (or belief)?

Really, what would be possible without that thought? What could you be? What could happen in your business? In your life?

4. Then the Turnaround.

Turn the statement around and create a new interpretation that is the opposite. If you have done the work, you will see that that is just as valid a thought or belief as what you first said.

And you can find many instances in your life to validate that belief.

On The Court

Thought: You have never been able to ever do something like that and you are going to screw it up again this year just like last year. You will fail again and again and everyone will see that.”

Is it true?

“Well yes. I didn’t do it last year and never have.”

Well, Ok. But is it really true You have never done something like that and you always screw things up?

“Yes…most of the time.”

How about when you don’t. How about the times you have taken deals and closed them. Remember the deal in 08? That was something you said, “I did this and no one can ever take that success away from me”.

How about…

Could there be another interpretation? Can you absolutely know if it is true?

Another way of looking at it is I haven’t been successful yet in putting $30 million into service in one year. I have put half that much in before, but not $30 million.

Putting in $15 million is being successful, just not as successful as $30 million.

How do you react, how do you feel when you have that thought?

When I have the original though I am paralyzed and feel like a fraud. If I cant do what I say I am going to do, why would anyone listen to me and why would anyone invest with me? I am stopped and feel like taking a nap.

When I have the next thought in question 3, I feel relief. Not heavy. Not excited, but not heavy at all. It just rings true. Solid. What’s so.

Who would you be/ what would be possible if you didn’t have that thought (or belief)?

I would be free to create and grow because I am not weighed down by unproductive thinking.  I can be with myself and not feel bad and like a failure. I can look myself and others in the eye and be free to create a new target.

The Turnaround:

I can authentically turnaround  “I am a failure” around to “I am successful” because I can relate to countless times in my career and life when I have been successful”.

It is in reality just as valid to say I am successful as it is to say I am a failure. I have had both, and in all likely hood will continue to have both.

This takes me about ten minutes of real work. I used to do it with people and if I really get jammed up, I will.

It started with a coach and with people at the church I go to. That is where I met Byron Katie, at our church. There are some people at our church that were trained in it, but I went through her presentations as well. But if I get jammed up, I could go to them.

Then I was at a Tony Robbins event, and he was quoting her work and was using it on a business level with business owners.

So I saw the power of this procedure as business owners grappled with what was in their way.

Being successful in business is 80% mindset and 20% strategy or knowing what to do.

This process (“The Work”) is the most powerful and fastest way I know of to turn around a disempowering belief.  And to be able to move quickly into a freed up state of mind where “Anything Is Possible” because it is.

If you find yourself getting blocked as you complete and create your upcoming year in the self storage business, try this. There is also a lot of resources online to support you in this process.

Create a powerful next year and never get stopped by a disempowering thought from the past. It is just a thought, and a thought can be changed.