How Your Self-Limiting Beliefs Become Your Reality And What You Can Do About It

Your mind is an incredibly powerful tool.

And yet, like many others, you likely don’t spend much time reflecting on the way you use it. After all, why should you think about thinking?

But the way you think directly influences the way you feel and act. Hence, if you think you’re a miserable failure, you’ll also feel like one. And then, you’ll act like a failure. In effect, this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy, and surely you don’t want that.

Unfortunately, this happens way too often these days.

Some people may say “I just don’t think I’m good enough to grow in my career.”

Such a negative assumption only leads to feelings of discouragement and causes you to put in less effort when it comes down to taking action. And the lack of effort ultimately prevents you from getting that promotion at work.

Or when someone says “I’m incredibly awkward when it comes to social situations,” they just stay on one side of the room by themselves. And when no one speaks to them, it further reinforces their belief that they’re no good with people.

As soon as you make such a harsh conclusion about yourself, you are likely to search for evidence that confirms your beliefs and disregard anything that runs contrary to them.

A person who develops the belief that they are unworthy will view every mistake as proof that that is precisely what they are.

And when they do succeed, they will just say they were lucky.

Take a moment to consider that it might not be your lack of skills or talent that are at the core of the problem. Rather, it might be your beliefs that keep you from living to your true potential.

Shifting to a more optimistic outlook on life will inevitably lead to better outcomes. Positive thoughts lead to productive behavior, which in turn increases your chances of success in all areas of life.

Take a look at all the negative labels you’ve put on yourself.

Maybe you think you’re incompetent or a weak leader.

In order to improve the quality of your life, you mustn’t allow those beliefs to restrict your potential.

Just because you think something, does not make it true.

The good thing is, you can change the way you think of yourself. You can transform your own perceptions and change your life for the better.

And here are a couple of ways you can do just that:

1. Look for things that oppose your initial beliefs.

Notice the times your beliefs were not reinforced but challenged by the opposite. Realizing that there are exceptions to your self-imposed rule will remind you that the potential for change is much bigger than you thought.

2. Challenge the negative opinions you have about yourself. 

Engage in behavioral experiments that delve into the depth of your beliefs. If you think you are not good enough, do something that will help you make improvements and make you feel worthy. If you consider yourself too much of a weakling, do something that makes you uncomfortable.

Greatness comes with practice and persistence. Your brain can be trained to think differently.

Once you give up on those self-limiting beliefs, you will be much better equipped to reach toward your full potential.

We hope that this article was of help to you. Let us know your thoughts on the topic and please share with your friends and family if you’ve enjoyed the read.