Limiting Beliefs, If you are wondering what it is? Then Limiting Beliefs are any type of Self-Restraining thoughts that weigh us down from achieving something that holds us back from moving forward. Sometimes, we keep saying to ourselves, “Nah, that’s not going to work for me”, or “No, I can’t do it”. These self-doubts are the Limiting Beliefs.
Top 10 Limiting Beliefs
Before moving forward, we need to identify these types of Limiting Beliefs that stop us from growing & to take charge of our respective lives.
1. I’m not good enough
How many times have we said that to ourselves? Countless times, right? Let me assure you one thing, even the most successful people in this world had these thoughts pop up in their minds. Guess what? They overcame it & made it big.
2. I’m too old or Young
This Limiting belief comes to us when mainly applying for a job, or starting some new venture.
Just think a 20-year-old guy started a computer software company in a garage & nowadays we know the company as Microsoft! Or a comic book creator who saw success after 40! That man gave us Multiverse…yes, I am talking about Stan Lee.
3. I don’t have Enough Time
The third most common Limiting Belief is, “I don’t have enough time”. We are living life on a fast track. We have our Professional Life on one hand & Personal Life on the other. In between, we start to neglect ourselves.
We neglect the importance of spending a little time with ourselves, thinking about something new, to take a break. That affects us big time.
4. I’m not smart enough
This one is like a bullet to our personal growth. When entrusted with a duty or a new project, we often shy by thinking ” I am not that much smart to execute this”. When we get trapped in this Limiting Belief, we lose at the very first step.
5. I don’t have enough Experience
Before entertaining this Limiting Belief we need to remember that we always start as fresher. Still, we often think our experience is not up to the mark before taking on any task.
We need to remember a 16-year-old kid who hit three over boundaries in an over after getting hit in the nose by the legendary spinner Abdul Quadir’s ball. Yes, you are right, that kid is none other than Legend Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.
6. I’ll never be successful
In the journey of life, sometimes we hit a snag, sometimes issues hit us big time, and everything seems to go the other direction, and at that point, this Limiting Belief hits us hard.
We start doubting our chances of becoming successful. We start questioning our potential. Just remember everyone had a bad time, if we don’t hold on, our worst fear of not succeeding will come true & that is unacceptable.
7. I don’t have enough Money
Money matters, that is right. Sometimes we hold ourselves back thinking of our limited financial capability. Still, we have something & before investing it in something, all it needs is careful planning so that it comes back to us with big returns. You need to trust your decision-making & planning capabilities for that.
8. I’ll never be one of the best
This Limiting Belief often comes from comparing ourselves to others. We all have different skill sets, different outlooks, and different ideas. Let’s be clear about the definition of the best. Being the best is not being a consistent performer, even the best performers have bad days too.
Being the best is putting our best effort into something to churn out the best result. If being a tiger, you compare yourself with an eagle by its ability to fly, you can never be the best.
9. I am not talented enough
This Limiting Belief is a direct outcome of No. 4. i.e. “I am not smart enough”. As discussed in an earlier topic, we all have different skill sets, and weaknesses too.
All we have to do is cultivate our inner strength, so it can overshadow our weaknesses. It affects most in our professional field, it stops us from trying some new role, to ask for a promotion or a raise.
10. I’ll never be a Great Leader
Let’s admit all of us are not born leaders, some are. Those who are not can still be Great Leaders after understanding the basics of Leadership, honing their skills & instincts, and being valued members of a community or work group.
All it takes is to study, study the works of great leaders, study the people of your team, communicate with them, and voila! These are the top 10 Limiting beliefs examples.
How To Overcome Limiting Beliefs
The main challenge is how to overcome them. Here are the ways we can always try to overcome these mental blockages:
1. Identifying your Limiting Belief
You need to identify & accept the Limiting Beliefs that/those are stopping you. As they say “Proper diagnosis is half the cure”.
2. Accept that is just a Belief
Recognize that your belief may simply be a belief founded on falsities. It is likely to be completely untrue and is just a belief, not a fact.
3. Challenge your own belief
After establishing the fact that it is just a belief, not a fact, ask yourself:” Is this belief really established? What are the supporting facts? Did I always think that way? If not, what has changed? Is there evidence to neutralize my belief? Is this belief helping me to progress towards my goals?
4. Accept how it is affecting you
Ask yourself how this Limiting Belief is affecting you in your Personal/Professional Life. What have you lost/ what are you going to lose because of it? What is going to cost you further if you keep holding to that?
5. Adopt a new belief
Choose something new to believe in, something that will help to advance in your life. This evolution may not be that easy. Depending on how long you have that mental blockage and lived through what led you to believe what you believe, it may have created an extraordinarily strong emotional bond and latched to you strongly.
If you want to go ahead and change you will need to have the strength and courage to make that change in thinking and adopt the new idea.
6. Put it into practice
Move on and start practicing your new belief chant it every day like a holy mantra. Take baby steps if you are not sure & after sometimes you will find yourself running. Conditioning yourself to your new beliefs means creating the reality you want for yourself in your mind, and visualizing the results you want to achieve.
Visualization is a great way to create anticipation. You will mentally experience the result you want to achieve. With this, you will be sending harmonizing signals to your brain, making it work for you.
Conclusion
We all suffer from Limiting Beliefs, sometimes big, sometimes small but at the end of the day they are stopping us from bringing out the best within us, to perform more effectively.
Breaking this deep-rooted issue is not easy, but not impossible either. All it takes is analyze, self-realization & iron-strong will to move on to a better tomorrow.
