Limiting beliefs are part of our belief system. These are values or rules that we picked up as kids that continue to define our abilities as adults, as well as the way we think about ourselves. These beliefs constrain us, prevent us from questioning ideas, or even hold back our ability to rethink the way we perceive something.
Beliefs like “I can’t” and “this is not possible” and “I’m no good at this” are all examples of limiting beliefs that greatly hinder our personal growth and keep us from succeeding.
If you want to achieve success and live a full life, it is important to identify and get rid of these limiting beliefs.
How To Identify Limiting Beliefs
Fortunately, we have a built-in mechanism that can identify limiting beliefs—our feelings and emotions.
Think back to the last time you experienced a negative emotion—fear,nervousness,frustration, for instance. Now try to remember what you were thinking at the time—the thoughts that led to the negative emotion. Your limiting belief is likely centered around that thought.
For example, if you feel uneasy at the prospect of applying to new jobs or higher positions, you might hold a limiting belief that says “I am not good enough,” or “it’s impossible for me to get a high paying job.”
How To Get Rid Of Limiting Beliefs
Once you’ve identified your limiting beliefs, you can start working on eliminating them. The following are some powerful ways to eliminate a limiting belief.
Write It Down
Write down your limiting belief on a post-it note. Then, cross it out and write a new belief on top of it—the one you want to acquire.
For example, if your belief is, “I can never make enough money,” you may want to replace it with “I have talent and skills that are worth any price I put on them.”
Talk About It With Someone You Trust
Talking about your limiting beliefs with someone you trust helps greatly. These people can help you see how your beliefs are not true by giving you real examples from your own life, priming your brain for the new belief you want to acquire.
These close people can also tell you if they have observed any changes in you, providing you with a system of checks and balances.
Reframing Your Needs
Limiting beliefs most commonly occur as a manifestation of unmet needs. All humans are born with psychological and physiological needs;if these are not met, negative thought patterns are triggered, leading to limiting beliefs.
Reframing is a powerful technique that can help you reshape your personal needs, or give them a fresh new context, helping you overcome your limiting beliefs.
To try out reframing, download NIKU, an app that works on ‘reframing of needs’ principal and functions as an online psychological counselor or a life coach, helping you look at life with a fresh, new perspective.
The app is available to download on both the Apple App Store and Google PlayStore.
