No Limits: How to Keep Limiting Beliefs from Holding You Back

Beginning something new can be exciting and motivating: Planning, preparing, and having a vision for a successful end result builds the momentum needed to keep going until you reach your goals. It sounds like a simple formula, so why do so many people get lost along the way or quit before they even get started?

Our brilliant minds, so capable of imagining an amazing project or beautiful future, also have an ability to talk us out of just about anything. Our beliefs — whether conscious or subconscious — have the power to stop momentum in its tracks.

We all have beliefs about ourselves, about others, and about the world around us. A good number of our beliefs form early in life under the influence of family, friends, and other impactful people like teachers and caregivers. Sometimes these beliefs manifest as labels we assign ourselves that define how we show up (‘I’m brave’, or ‘I’m shy’) and sometimes they go deeper, influencing our choices and the level of risk we’re comfortable taking (‘I don’t have enough education to do ______”). These beliefs can be particularly tough if they’re influenced by past failures or challenges. The problem with limiting beliefs is that they fence you in to a small subset of who you are, stunting your potential.

The pure definition of the word belief is “ an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.” You’ll notice that nowhere in that definition is the word “fact.” Beliefs are not always based on facts, yet our minds often treat beliefs as if they were absolute truth. Beliefs have a strong influence on our expectations and on how we view ourselves and others. They shape whether we see the world as friendly and full of opportunity or as hostile and closed off.

The challenge presented by limiting beliefs, is that they have a way of becoming self-fulfilling prophecies. What you believe about yourself ultimately determines where you’ll end up. It works like this: beliefs impact actions, and actions produce results. Think of it as a simple math equation:

Beliefs + Actions = Results

Here’s the thing: Your actions align with your beliefs. It’s hard to act in a way that’s contrary to what you believe because all the energy and focus that goes into your actions are colored by your beliefs. If you act in opposition to what you believe, any attempts will be half-hearted at best. If you find yourself getting sidetracked or stopping altogether, limiting beliefs may be that thing that’s getting in the way of your success.

Let’s take a deeper look at limiting beliefs and what can be done to overcome them.

What are some common limiting beliefs?

Limiting beliefs are any thoughts that hold you back. They may contain a grain of truth or be completely false, but they feel powerful just the same. Some common limiting beliefs are:

• “I don’t have enough education to…”
• “I don’t have the experience to…”
• “I’m not worth it.”
• “I’m not smart enough to…”
• “I don’t have the perfect __________ to do ________”
• “I could never be like those successful people.”
• “Money is the root of all evil.”
• “I don’t know the right people to….”

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We all have these kind of thoughts from time to time. The question is whether you’re going to let limiting beliefs stop you from reaching your full potential or if you’ll meet the challenge head-on. The first step to overcoming limiting beliefs is to spot them.

How Can I Spot Limiting Beliefs?

Limiting beliefs leave telltale signs that they’re hard at work behind the scenes. Keep a look out for the following signals to reveal where your limiting beliefs are hiding.

• Watch your words: The language we use is a good indicator of the thoughts that lie behind it. Consistent use of phrases like, “I can’t”, “I shouldn’t”, or “I don’t” may be hiding a limiting belief.
• Procrastination: If it seems like you keep putting off the things you need to do to reach your goals, it could be a sign that there’s a limiting belief behind your hesitation.
• Excuses: If you’re continually making excuses for why you haven’t started, or for why you’ve stopped working on your goals, it could be a sign that you’re dealing with an underlying limiting belief.
• Complaining: If you’re constantly complaining about how others get all the breaks or that you never get a chance, you may be holding a limiting belief.

Once you know what to look for, you can begin to uncover the areas where beliefs are holding you back. Knowing where limiting beliefs show up in your actions and words is the first step to overcoming them.

Once I’ve spotted limiting beliefs, how can I defuse them?

1. Acknowledge the belief: Before you can overcome a belief, you must know it exists. When you notice one of the signs above, pause and ask yourself “What is the belief at the root of my actions?” When you say, “I can’t…” what’s behind that? For example, “I can’t pursue a career in that field because I’m not smart enough.” Acknowledge the immediate belief that’s holding you back.
2. Explore the belief: Once you know what the belief is, it’s time to explore it. Where did this belief come from? Did someone tell you that you’re not smart? Did you have a bad experience that colors your beliefs today? Were you compared unfavorably to others by teachers or parents? What is your belief protecting you from? Is there a fear of failure, or a fear of how you will deal with success once you reach your goal that’s holding you back?
3. Challenge the belief: Ask yourself, what if this belief isn’t true? How would you act if you began to believe you were smart enough, or that you could figure things out even if you don’t have the experience or education? What if the people who told you that you couldn’t do it are wrong?
4. Choose a new belief: Take your limiting belief and flip it on its head to create a limitless belief. Embrace all the possibilities that come from challenging your beliefs. If your belief is “I’m not smart enough,” change it to “I am smart enough and I can figure this out.” If you believe, “I don’t have the right connections.”, choose to believe “I am capable of growing my network and I’m resourceful enough to make the right connections.”
5. Have a plan: Create a plan for when you encounter resistance to your new belief. Plan ahead by mapping out the small day-by-day steps needed to reach your goals. Determine what you need to learn and how you will gain the knowledge (hint: formal education is usually not required). Decide who to add to your network and get outside of your comfort zone to meet the people who can inspire you and broaden your horizons. Find the friends you can count on to cheer you on and build you up when you stumble and find the ones who won’t put up with excuses and are willing to call you out when you fall into old beliefs.

Wrapping up

Limiting beliefs can feel very real and they have the potential to slow your progress or stop it altogether, but you don’t have to let old beliefs come between you and your dreams. Have the courage to face the beliefs that hold you back, because you hold the power to acknowledge them, challenge them, and change them.

The process of overcoming your limiting beliefs isn’t one that happens overnight. It takes conscious focus, determination, and a willingness to revisit them whenever you find yourself getting stuck. Use the steps outlined above and repeat as needed to gain ground on the beliefs that get in the way of your goals. Make a habit of questioning your limiting beliefs and have the courage to challenge yourself and construct new empowering beliefs to drive your success. With practice, perseverance, and a new set of limitless beliefs you can overcome any challenge that comes your way.

Originally published at https://www.kailynsarros.com.