A limiting belief is an idea or an inner conflict we have about ourselves that keeps us stuck and discourages us from taking action that could benefit our lives. Unfortunately, when our beliefs stop us from taking action, we cease to progress and fall short of the goals we want to achieve.
In business, this can show up in many ways. We might believe that it’s possible to achieve a certain level of income, but we don’t believe we’re capable or smart enough to get there. We might see our peers achieve success and think we’re not good enough to do the same or we don’t have the time.
Our beliefs are not fixed. We can change them and replace them with more empowering beliefs that drive us to take the action needed to achieve our goals. Here are four limiting beliefs that could be hindering your growth and success.
“I don’t have the time.”
We hear this all the time. The truth is, if your life depended on it, you would find the time. When you’re committed to achieving your goals, you make adjustments to your life and find a way to make it work. Sometimes this might mean sacrificing a weekend away with friends or waking up an hour earlier each day.
What makes some people successful and others fall behind, is knowing how to make the best use of time.
“I can’t because what if I fail?”
The fear of failure is a barrier that will stop more people from trying than failure itself. Often this comes from the fear of judgement of what others might think or say.
Failure is a part of life, and the most successful people see failure as feedback or an experience to grow and learn from. Reframing failure in your mind as a positive experience can help you to get past the initial hurdle of taking the first step.
“I’m not good enough”
Often this limiting belief can be hidden under many layers of self-doubt, hopelessness, and low self-worth. You might compare yourself to other people and feel like you’re not doing enough or that you’re not good enough. With feelings of low self-worth, you can sabotage your success and not consider how far you’ve already come.
Once you start believing in yourself and your capabilities, you can build on your past achievements and give yourself
permission to go after what you want.
“I have to do it all myself. Otherwise, it’s not good enough”
Perfectionism is the hidden barrier to ambition. While it’s important to do great work, fussing over small details can hold you back from getting to the next level of your business. Sometimes your pride can get in the way and limit your progress.
Determine your strengths, ask for help where needed, so that you can focus on what’s most important in your business.
Start small and take action to replace your limiting beliefs with more empowering beliefs that help you progress and reach new levels of success.
