Neural Sabotage: Why Smart Founders Fail (and How Not To)

Neural Sabotage: Why Smart Founders Fail (And How Not To) 

Leanne Robers is the co-founder of She Loves Tech, the world’s largest startup competition for women in technology, dedicated to empowering female entrepreneurs and driving gender equality in tech, with a global platform spanning over 50 countries. 

Her talk on "the yellow circle" at the Singapore FinTech Festival 2024 uncovers how Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) hold entrepreneurs back. Drawing from psychology and neuroscience, Leanne shares actionable strategies to transform limiting beliefs into empowering thoughts, enabling founders to unlock their full potential.

Key highlights:

1. Understand the Impact of ANTs

• Brain’s Fear Response: Negative thoughts trigger the amygdala, impairing strategic thinking and decision-making.
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecies: Limiting beliefs like “I’m not good enough” sabotage founders' confidence and outcomes.

2. Transform ANTs into PETs

• Pause and Identify: Recognize and name negative thoughts to reduce their power.
• Gather Counter-Evidence: Document achievements and positive feedback to combat the brain’s threat bias.

3. Rewrite the Narrative

• Neural Pathways: Challenging limiting beliefs rewires the brain, fostering confidence and resilience.
• Empowered Framing: Shift perceptions, e.g., "I'm inexperienced" to "I bring fresh perspectives."

Conclusion:

Leanne urges founders to challenge their inner ANTs and embrace PETs (Positive Empowering Thoughts). By transforming limiting beliefs, founders can lead with confidence, create impact, and shape a future where diversity is a strength. Change your thoughts, change your actions, and ultimately, change the world.

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