How To Overcome Your Limiting Beliefs That Keeps You From Moving Forward

Have you ever wondered to yourself, “I’m not good enough at this and that, I should forget doing it”? You’re not alone if you have experienced similar thoughts.

These limiting beliefs keep us stuck in our ways without us even recognizing them. These beliefs often stem from a place of negative thoughts and fear, preventing us from pursuing new opportunities or something we want in life. 

Numerous people battle with self-limiting beliefs that inhibit their potential for achievement. The key to overcoming limiting beliefs is learning to recognize them. 

Do you have desired accomplishments? You may want to achieve something and move forward in your life, establish a business, discover love or boost your relationship, work out and lose weight, or begin healthy habits. We all have goals in life, and growth is a fundamental human need.

So, what keeps you from doing what you want? Any response you give to this question is a rationalization, not a fact. That is the simple truth.

Your own limiting beliefs are the only real obstacles you face. In this article, we’ll deal with limiting beliefs and explore the ways to identify and overcome them. Read on to learn more.

What Exactly Is A Limiting Belief?

A limiting belief is a state of mind or point of view about yourself that limits your full capacity in particular ways. These beliefs are frequently erroneous claims you make about yourself, which can result in various undesirable outcomes. 

Sadly, many limiting beliefs are created in our childhood. They grow as part of our identity and they have cost us dearly throughout our lives, which is devastating.

For instance, if your limiting belief is that you are terrible at public speaking, you probably won’t take any chance to impart your knowledge to others.

Or you might assume you are more likely to make mistakes if you must speak in front of an audience. This is because assumptions regarding your speaking skills plague you.

Furthermore, these beliefs can also drag you into a negative state of mind, preventing you from pursuing opportunities and encounters and negatively impacting your mental health.

In addition to working on your self-awareness and self-esteem, it is crucial to recognize your subconscious biases. Having preconceived notions about others impairs your ability to team up effectively, ultimately impacting productivity.

What Are the Root Causes of Limiting Beliefs?

Now that you are aware of what limiting beliefs are, perhaps you also want to know what causes them. How have they affected your life decisions, and where did these limiting beliefs come from?

When it comes to limiting beliefs, some people contend that humans are not designed to be open-minded because our inclinations cause us to desire positive and amenable knowledge exclusively.

In addition to inherent biases and a failure to maintain an open mind, other factors also contribute to limiting beliefs. There are a few that you may identify with listed below.

• How you grew up, the beliefs your family imparted to you, and how you perceived those beliefs are all influential factors. This might encompass everything from whether others appreciate you, your career choice, and how you should conduct yourself in social situations.
• Your education is influenced by instructors, academics, family, friends, and classmates. Growing up is continually being exposed to new knowledge, ideas, and views about yourself as an individual, as well as how things function, which might alter your notions about what you can and can’t achieve.
• Your life experiences, particularly those with a bad outcome, and your decisions from them. Limiting beliefs might be formed as a protection strategy to prevent negative sensations in the future. 

Here Are Some Common Examples Of Limiting Beliefs You Might Have

Limiting beliefs can keep you from doing important things, they are basically self-deprecating views that prevent you from progressing as an individual. 

Understanding the most common limiting beliefs, from body language to verbal beliefs and defense mechanisms, will help you spot them if they emerge.   

Limiting thoughts influence many facets of our life and could hold us back in a variety of ways. Some popular assumptions restrict thinking. To determine your limiting beliefs, consider if any of the following seem familiar:

🌱 I don’t have any time 

• I don’t have enough time to visit my mom.
• I don’t have the time and energy to deal with these issues.

Almost everyone has used this as a defense at some time. When you genuinely care about anything, whether it’s a chore, a goal, or a relationship, you find time and energy for it. What counts is what you do with them.

🌱 I’m not good or strong enough. 

• I’m not good enough to do public speaking.
• I’m not strong enough to face my problems.

This idea maintains us in our familiar surroundings. We don’t have the inner power to overcome rejection, disappointment, or hardship. We’d rather remain here than risk being wounded.

🌱 I don’t deserve…

• I don’t deserve to be happy.
• I don’t deserve to be loved.

This happens to be one of the most typical limiting beliefs. When we think we are unworthy of something, we might reject every possible opportunity and ruin our future and chances. That is not the way life should be lived.

🌱 I don’t have what it takes.

• I don’t have what it takes to go on a date.
• I don’t have what it takes to get fit, I’m too old to start.

In our lives, this is a simple limiting belief to convince ourselves. It frequently conceals a fear of failing – or, in some cases, of triumph. When we compare ourselves to others, we say, “I can’t do that.” I lack the necessary abilities.”

However, guess what? You can acquire any talent if you put your mind to it and believe in yourself.

These sorts of self-limiting thoughts come from a place of fear, and they are shared by everyone. The goal is to identify and overcome these beliefs so that they do not prevent you from moving beyond your comfort zone. 

To keep yourself safe, you’re telling yourself you’re not good enough or that you’ll never be good enough, but in the end, these beliefs prohibit you from enabling yourself to be the greatest. 

The challenge is to be aware of your own limiting beliefs and utilize that awareness to redefine how you think about yourself. 

Tips For Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

It’s difficult enough to identify your limiting beliefs around your personal traits. It’s much more difficult to overcome them. But the good thing about limiting beliefs is that you can modify them anytime. 

This does not imply that it will be a simple task, but dedication and a higher self-awareness may empower you to overcome it and believe in yourself enough to push past limitations. 

Below are some tips that can help you overcome any limiting beliefs you may have.

🌿 Identify Your Limiting Beliefs

Identifying and accepting your limiting beliefs to change them is the first step. Limiting beliefs are thoughts we have about ourselves and our surroundings that keep us from being our best selves.

These beliefs often manifest as a notion in your mind rather than anything you say out loud.

They limit us in many ways, making us believe that we do not deserve accomplishment, that we are not as good as others, and that the world has nothing to offer us.

🌿 Organize Your Surroundings

Admit it or not, your surroundings may influence how you think. A well-organized and roomy setting may benefit your mental health and encourage positive thinking. When things are organized, it’s easier to focus and think clearly.

Clear any clutter you may have acquired at home to create a friendlier atmosphere. Changing the configuration of the room might also improve circulation.

It’s an excellent approach to maintaining positive energy circulating through your house while removing bad ones. This should affect your mindset and help you concentrate on good ideas and beliefs.

🌿 Ask Yourself How This Belief Is Helping You

We like to think of ourselves as prisoners or victims of our own limiting thoughts, but the truth is that we adopt these beliefs because they serve us in some way.

The elephant feels she cannot break away from the barrier post because that notion formerly benefitted her—it saved her from the pressure and effort of failing.

Typically, we cling to limiting beliefs to shelter ourselves from struggle and failure.  Furthermore, we frequently cling to limiting beliefs because they make us feel distinct, unique, and self-righteous or that we deserve extra consideration.

Beliefs only stick if they serve us in any manner; consider how your belief is serving you and if it is worthwhile.

🌿 Accept Accountability

People fail to reach their objectives because they never accept accountability for their lives. They like to assume that their situations are outside their control and that things just happen to them.

This is known as an external source of control and a limiting belief in and of itself. To transcend your limiting beliefs, you must first build an internal center of control: the conviction that life occurs for you rather than for you. Your actions ultimately determine your destiny.

Life is full of occurrences we have no control over, but we can influence how we respond to them. We can control our emotions, learn from mistakes, make better judgments, and go toward our objectives no matter what.

🌿 Explore

Limiting beliefs might be the consequence of being closed-minded. Learn to use your natural inquisitiveness as a tool for intellectual growth.

When you surrender to curiosity, you are more inclined to investigate your surroundings and go outside your comfort zone. This might help you broaden your thoughts and question your views.

Being inquisitive opens you up to the thoughts and ideas of others. Interactions with people from diverse backgrounds than yours are one approach to learning more.

🌿 Meditate

Beliefs are frequently formed by the ideas of others, which creep their way into our own; thus, addressing your thoughts may help you change a number of negative beliefs you may have.

Take a couple of minutes daily to meditate to control your thoughts better. Once you meditate, you clear your mind of undesirable thoughts and ideas. Meditation should aim to allow ideas to travel through your mind without participating in them.

Through meditation, one may quiet the mind and connect with one’s inner self. Once you’ve cleared all the junk in your mind, you can focus on the positive thoughts you wish to acquire.

These beliefs may eventually replace or stop the cycle of negativity. Before you know it, your mind will be overwhelmed with optimistic ideas that will propel you toward being your best self.

🌿 Employ Positive Affirmations

If you don’t have much faith in yourself, it might be challenging to think positively. However, positive affirmations are a powerful tool for improving one’s sense of self-worth.

They compel you to talk positively about yourself; presumably, you will learn to believe your affirmations over time. If you hold limiting beliefs about your lovability, you may find attracting loving and caring individuals into your life difficult.

To assist in changing that belief, write or tell yourself an affirmation such as “I am useful, incredible, and lovable.” Repeating this every day may help you gain self-improvement over time.

Positive affirmations may also highlight your strengths. Create affirmations that serve as a constant reminder of everything that you have accomplished by drawing on your skills and experiences. This could offer you the confidence to push yourself farther and accomplish more.

🌿 Discuss it 

Because of the psychological structure of some of our most restrictive limiting beliefs, shaking them off requires more than one step. Some of these negative voices in your head are so firmly embedded that they seem insurmountable. 

In fact, we may be pretty reluctant to alter this aspect of our identity. In reality, some of our limiting beliefs may also be fundamental beliefs. In these circumstances, it may be preferable to seek expert assistance. 

A therapist has the skills to assist you in clearing out your own self-perceptions and preconceptions. If your belief is based on a 20-year-old anecdotal tale, if it hinders the next step you’d want to take, or perhaps it’s just plain frightening, attempt to uproot it.

🌿 Develop A New Belief

Find something new to believe in that can help you better or change your life. This shift may be difficult. Depending on how long you have thought about and lived through what led you to think what you believe.

It might have developed a solid emotional connection and firmly ingrained the idea. If you want to change, you must have the fortitude and bravery to alter your thinking and accept the new belief.

🌿 Put Your New Belief Into Action

Take action and begin putting things in place to reinforce your new belief. If your limiting belief was that you were “old enough to start exercising,” start by adopting an “It is never too late to begin” attitude and then take a few minutes of walk exercise today to get started and create a habit from there.

Programming yourself to your new ideas lets you see the world you want for yourself and visualize the outcomes you want. Visualization is an excellent method for building anticipation.

You will mentally experience the desired effect. This will convey congruent messages to your brain, causing it to operate for you. Reframe your most damaging limiting beliefs and notice what occurs.

You may get closer to your full potential if you push the limits of your ability. It’s not a failure if you discover you’re terrible at arithmetic. 

By abandoning old habits and adopting a growth mindset, you are acquiring a greater knowledge of who you are—and, surely, you’re pretty awesome. 

🌿 Seek Professional Help

If you’re having trouble changing your limiting beliefs on your own, you can benefit from the assistance of a counselor or therapist.

If your limiting beliefs are causing additional problems like depression, stress, or anxiety, you may have to seek professional care even more.

This is because therapists and counselors have the expertise and resources needed to assist you in overcoming obstacles and living a more fulfilling life.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with gamification may also help you identify limiting beliefs and equip you with the skills necessary to conquer them.

Technology has made it simpler to get counseling and health-related services. You may use your mobile device to download health-related applications and communicate with your therapist or counselor.

Mental health trackers may also be used to monitor anxiety triggers, moods, and overall development. This means you are not alone in your quest to overcome limiting beliefs.

Final Thoughts

Everyone has limiting thoughts and beliefs, so if you have one, understand that you are not alone. The key is not to fully eliminate limiting beliefs but to learn new skills to overcome them and concentrate on what is positive. You change your life when you change how you view things. 

As long as there are various types of individuals, the world will continue to be full of diverse beliefs. However, it is up to you to figure out what convictions will allow you to have the kind of life you’ve always dreamed of.

All the beliefs that prevent you from leading a fulfilling life are limiting and must be given up. This affords you the opportunity to create an existence that exceeds your expectations.

FAQs

Can you conquer limiting beliefs?

It is not always simple to get past limiting beliefs. They are profoundly embedded in us, frequently from childhood. However, if you understand what they are and how to recognize them, you may learn how to conquer your limiting beliefs.

How do limiting beliefs affect our lives?

These beliefs may affect your life, but not necessarily in a positive manner. They foster self-awareness, which prevents you from pursuing your ambitions, building good connections with others, and effecting change in any aspect of your life.