How Your Outer World Reflects Your Inner World (and Why It Matters for Business)

A few years ago, my friend Roger claimed that he could tell what his employees believed just by looking at their desks. That sounded a little odd to me. Humans are more than just a desk, right?

And yet, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

I looked at my desk and wondered what it said about me. That’s when I realised that my beliefs about the importance of organisation and tidiness to success and happiness were reflected in the way I organised my things.

Everything was (more or less) neatly organised. There weren’t thousands of documents shuffled everywhere. My pens, stapler and other equipment were neat and straight. I actually had my house in order!

Then I glanced at the walls. I saw framed photos of my loved ones and me, taken on special occasions or while we were traveling together. They reminded me of how much I value the moments we shared. The photos also exist as products of my interest in exploration and adventures.

Go ahead and look around your home or workplace. What you’re seeing now mirrors what is going on inside you.

You decided to surround yourself with those items. You have led yourself to your current condition.

Why?

Simply put – it’d because our outer world reflects our inner world.

Why your outer world reflects your inner world

“As within, so without.”

This universal truth — as quoted from Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary author and philosopher from the Hellenistic Period— perfectly summarises what Roger did to get a simple yet incisive reading of his team.

We possess different dimensions of ourselves. What our reality is a product of our thoughts and feelings.

Whether you’re doing it consciously or not, your positive or negative beliefs profoundly influence your actions and decisions.

And those outward energies come back to us in the way we think of how our lives are going, how others treat us, and how we feel about ourselves.

Reality is just an effect of what is going on within.

How to change your outer world

Knowing that your inner self determines how you interact with the outside, any changes in your circumstances must originate from yourself.

We have little to no control over external forces and chance.

But we do have the power to transform the way we think, feel, and act.

Your journey begins with a change in your perception

It might sound idealistic to say that our lives will suddenly change if we can shake off negative beliefs.

After all, it’s not easy to give up the things we’ve held onto for so long – especially if we’ve held them since childhood.

Many people also blame others when they fail—and avail themselves of all responsibility.

However, making the effort to change your perception about yourself and the world can have a profound effect on your future happiness and success.

Here is an exercise you should try now to guide you in this difficult process.

• Think of an aspect of your life that is not going well.

Let’s take, for example, the problem my neighbour Annie was facing with her son Tyler. They used to be close, but recently their relationship became strained due to frequent disagreements over Tyler’s new hobby – motorcycle racing.

• Determine your beliefs associated with that aspect of life.

Annie didn’t think Tyler’s growing curiosity about motorcycle racing was a good thing. She thought it was dangerous, wasteful and pointless. It didn’t go towards achieving anything.

• Ask yourself if holding on to your current perception is good or bad for the long-term.

Annie decided to seek help from a coach. To get to the root of the issue, her coach asked, “What do you refer to be: a supportive or a controlling mother?” Annie defended her reasoning by raising valid concerns about the risks associated with motorcycle racing.

However, as she continued to talk with her coach, she gradually realised on her own that if Tyler was serious about motorcycle racing, there were ways he could stay safe in the beginning. Tyler could stay a spectator, attend races before and then eventually find a qualified trainer who could teach him the ropes.

Annie admitted that she had been too quick to judge, costing her the strong bond she used to enjoy with her son.

• Make the conscious choice to let go of your own self-destructive perceptions.

Now that Annie had gained awareness of her preconceived notions that did not serve her well, she took the initiative to bridge the gap between her and Tyler.

Whenever she would return to her former thinking, she would pause and call to mind what matters more — being a pillar for her son.

It wasn’t easy at first, but over time and with constant reminders to herself, Annie witnessed how Tyler grew from a motorcycle enthusiast into an owner of a custom motorcycle building shop.

How to change your outer business world

The same transformative principles can be applied to our careers. Let’s go through another example to show you how changing your beliefs can do wonders for your overall quality of life.

• Identify the problem area.

Mark owned a startup with lots of customers. But he was dismayed because those customers would never come back to do business with him again.

He worked hard, and he felt like he was at his wit’s end trying to fend off his competitors from snatching away customers.

• What are your beliefs related to that area?

Mark assumed everything could be achieved through persistence and dedication. He also had a high opinion about his ability to satisfy customers’ expectations. That’s why Mark found it hard to trust other people to do the same quality of work that he could.

• Should you let go of them?

The business strategy produced good results at first. It allowed Mark to gradually showcase his company’s abilities and build a reputation.

However, as his business expanded, it became more challenging for him to juggle his responsibilities. He also admitted that sometimes, he needed to take his eyes off the ball because he felt so exhausted from the day-to-day grind.

Customers began noticing the missed deadlines and sub-par goods, so they began to drop Mark’s business and look elsewhere. It took Mark a few weeks to realise the problem.

But when he did, he took the time to examine where the faults lied and what could be done to correct them.

• Change your routine from within.

Since Mark had fewer customers to manage, he gained enough time to recruit competent employees who could match his expectations and deliver the company’s promise to its customers.

If he observed someone slipping, Mark offered to guide them back on track so that everyone could achieve their shared goals in the company. He was no longer alone because he surrounded himself with a team he could trust.

Change your own perception

If you ever feel like everyone or everything else is out to get you, refrain from assuming that nothing else can be done about it.

You have the power to change the course of your life without forcing others to bend to your will or pinning your hopes on uncontrollable factors.

Instead, your life will change for the better if you challenge your beliefs and attitudes that are not aligned with your goals. Look inwards for things you can improve upon, and then make the conscious choice to act upon your strategies until you fully embrace them into your routine.

It won’t happen overnight, especially for preconceived notions you have had for several years. Still, recognising where and why you should change your perception will take you on the right path toward happiness and success.

Don’t worry if you think you’re not making much progress. Small steps are much better than doing nothing at all.

If you want to learn more about how you can improve your outer world by working on your inner world first, reach out to us!

We can discuss the various strategies that might work for your personal life or business. We look forward to sharing our experiences dealing with negative perceptions that obstruct you from achieving your true potential in life.