5 Limiting Beliefs That Will Halt Your
Success
It might come to you as a surprise if you are
told that you are full of limiting beliefs. Don’t
take it personally, because everyone,
including me, has their fair share of limiting
beliefs.
A limiting belief is what keeps us from
reaching our goals. It fills us with
pessimism, negative self talk, and doubt. In
short, it keeps us from truly living the life of
our dreams.
Every time you hope to achieve something,
what gets in your way? Is it timing,
resources, luck, or a busy schedule? More
often than not, it’s just the belief that you
need to go for it and go for it now! Even if
you can’t dig up what you want just yet,
there’s no reason not to find a shovel and
get to work! Stop procrastinating!
Here are the 5 most popular limiting beliefs
that keep us from pursuing our passions:
1. I know I will fail
You remember that time you failed on your
exam? What happened next? I’m sure the
world didn’t end there. Even if you were
required to repeat a course or do it again,
you eventually passed, didn’t you? That’s
exactly how it works in real life. So, instead
of thinking to yourself, “ I know I will fail ”,
think again and wonder, “ What’s the worst
that could happen?”
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90%
how we react to it.” – Dennis P. Kimbro
2. I will start tomorrow
Forget about that perfect moment for
pursuing your passion. Life is short and
time is limited. Hours, days, and years will
go by and you may still feel that you have
to wait for some magical moment or the
right time. News flash: that moment will
never come unless you make it! Instead of
waiting, live with the belief that time is
limited. You don’t have forever so it’s either
now or never.
3. People won’t understand
First of all, someone who truly cares about
you would be highly reluctant to keep you
from pursuing your dream ( unless, of course
it could be deadly! ). The right people would
encourage you, because they understand
you and your need to go for it. Or perhaps,
they fear that you might leave them behind
or will expose their fears. Whichever the
case, remember that not everyone has to
understand what you are doing because
you are not doing it for them. You’re doing
it for you, and that’s just how it should be.
As Lao Tzu once said, “ Care about what
other people think, and you will always be
their prisoner .”
4. I don’t know where to start
Even the most famous scientists and
inventors had no clue where to start when
they had a mission in mind . Often times,
what they started with led them to
something entirely different, and sometimes,
something even more valuable. Letting this
belief be the reason not to start is simply an
excuse . Start somewhere, anytime, and
anywhere. Even if you don’t get it right the
first time, you’ll know what to do next, and
then next, and so on. The chain will
continue until you have finally reached the
point you had in mind.
“Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is
worth living, and your belief will help
create the fact.” – William James
5. I don’t have the resources
We often limit ourselves to reach our goals
by using available resources as an excuse .
You may feel that you don’t have the
money, qualifications, or skills necessary for
the job and these are “ obstacles ” you can’t
overcome. But who says “ resources” can’t
be gained? In other words, who says skills,
education, or money can’t be acquired?
With internal resources such as willpower,
focus, energy, and passion; external
resources are just a step away.
