What are limiting beliefs? Essentially, limiting beliefs are false ideas, thoughts or attitudes that one feels to be the truth. By preventing them from progressing and growing on a personal and career level, they tend to have an adverse affect on one. What is a belief that is holding you back from what you really want to do? Here are some examples of such limiting beliefs:
“I don’t have enough confidence.” This is a self-defeating limiting belief because it prevents you from taking the necessary action to improve your status in life. It also prevents you from acknowledging your own abilities and flaws that can lead to taking appropriate corrective action. Consequently, you remain stuck in a never-ending cycle of negative thinking where you are denying yourself the chance to progress.
“If I do not succeed, then it is my own fault and there is nothing I can do about it.” This kind of limiting beliefs is used to convince us that we should not take chances. By preventing us from taking risks, the belief prevents us from improving our chances of success. Consequently, it blocks us from getting the result we desire.
“If I fail, then it is my own fault and I will not learn from my mistakes. I cannot change other people or circumstances.” This kind of limiting beliefs is used to convince you that if you fail, it is because you are not smart enough, talented enough, strong enough, motivated enough, honest enough, or loving enough. It prevents you from seeking assistance or input from those around you who may be able to help you achieve your goal. It also prevents you from seeing your opportunities for improvement as a possibility.
Another example of these limiting beliefs is “if I am a terrible manager, then nobody will hire me”. Your unwillingness to accept responsibility for your own actions and failure to learn new ways of doing things will prevent you from getting the job you want or keeping up with the higher salary you desire. Limiting beliefs such as these keep us from moving towards our goals, which may be just around the corner.
Allowing these limiting beliefs to guide you will only get you so far. You need to understand that by ignoring them or denying their existence will not make them go away. You also have to realize that by working to get rid of them, you are on your way to creating a new, more successful life for yourself. It will not be easy and will take persistence. However, the alternative beliefs that you will be teaching yourself as you go along will make it much easier for you to become a successful employer, manager, student, parent, or just about anything else that you could possibly imagine.