Overcoming Self-Limiting Beliefs (part 1)

We all have core beliefs. Things which consciously or not, we have made to be truth in our mind. Some of those beliefs serve us well and are positives in our lives, while others simply get in the way of our potential and our possibilities. To a large extent our beliefs dictate our behaviours, which in turn determine the type of results we produce in our world. In many ways our beliefs become our reality. Even if only in our mind.

By the way, that’s where we live – our mind.

We think we live on a certain street in a particular suburb – we don’t; that’s just where we spend our time. We actually do most of our living in that space between our ears. That’s why we can see two people (who appear to be) in the exact same situation or circumstance, going through the same process… each having a totally different experience. They are creating their own experience irrespective of what appears to be happening in their world. To the outside observer they seem to going through the exact same thing but in reality (that is, their head), they are not.

While we all inhabit a very physical world, most of us actually live in a very cerebral and emotional place much of the time.

Believing Better

Let’s consider the two guys who get fired from the same position, by the same company on the same day. Dude One believes that this event is the beginning of the end for him. He has always believed that he wasn’t really good enough for the job and now it has been confirmed. He feels his future is looking bleak and based on his self-limiting beliefs and his negative thinking (not based on his talent or potential), it probably will be bleak. He will sabotage his own future and waste his considerable talent. Like many before him.

Dude Two believes that his departure from the company is a timely opportunity for him to step into a new and exciting direction. A chance to do something he’s passionate about. Maybe start his own business. He believes he hasn’t even begun to explore his potential and he’s excited by that prospect. He also believes that things happen for a reason and that every event is an opportunity for him to learn something and to grow. Dude Two actually has less talent and potential than Dude One but because of his different beliefs (and therefore different choices, behaviours and reactions) he will create better results in his life. In this situation he has created a better reality for himself.

Why? Because he lives in his head, not the situation.

Learning to get out of our own way

The truth is that many of us spend much of our lives under-achieving, not because of circumstances, events, luck, fate, destiny, chance or other people but primarily because of our self-limiting beliefs. Some of us have spent decades letting our fearful, negative mindset get in the way of our amazing potential and countless opportunities. Maybe it’s time to change that? Years of working with people in this area has taught me that the biggest obstacle to success is not typically the individual’s ability or potential but rather their self-imposed limitations.

Unless you’re unique to mankind, then right now you are limited (in some way, big or small) by your own disempowering beliefs. On some level, your mind is a barrier to your possibilities.

Some Questions

Here are five great questions to ask yourself about your beliefs:

1. What is my belief about this particular issue?
2. Where did that belief come from?
3. Does it empower me or limit me?
4. Is it based in logic or emotion?
5. Do I need to change it?

The first two steps to creating positive change are (1) awareness and (2) acknowledgement. Get those two nailed and next time we’ll talk about how to actually change those beliefs.

Enjoy your day (night) kids.

Ciao ( )

* Let us know your thoughts on this post by clicking on the comment thingy and sharing from your own experiences or thoughts. If you’d like to receive articles like this automatically, simply click on the ’subscribe to this feed’ thingy at the bottom of this post and become a subscriber.