What are limiting beliefs? The ultimate guide to self-limiting, beliefs and what the *@#$ to do about them!

Growing up the concept of ‘belief’ was almost sprinkled in magic dust and carried on the backs unicorns, what with the stories we believed about Christmas or Easter. But now we are asked to consider that beliefs can be negative and hold us back from achieving our dreams.

Doesn’t seem fair that everything we once believed may now need to be deconstructed and rebuilt in order to live a fulfilling and abundant life. But let’s not focus on the fairness (as that’s just a distraction) instead let’s gets get down to the business of understand all we can about belief, beliefs, where they come from and how they can limit us.

What is belief?

Belief is a mental attitude or state of mind in which an individual holds something to be true or real , even in the absence of concrete evidence or proof (just like believing in the big man in red, I mentioned earlier). Beliefs can be based on personal experience, faith, authority, intuition, or cultural and social conditioning. They can be positive or negative, rational or irrational, and they can shape an individual's values, attitudes, behaviors, and decisions.

Beliefs are subjective and can vary greatly between individuals and cultures, and they can be influenced by a variety of factors such as education, upbringing, social norms, and personal experiences.

How are they formed exactly?

Beliefs can be formed through a variety of ways, including personal experiences, education, social interactions, cultural and religious influences, and reasoning.

Personal experiences can shape beliefs by providing direct evidence for or against a particular idea or concept. For example, if someone has a positive experience with a particular religion, they may form a belief that the religion is good and true.

Education and learning can also shape beliefs, as individuals are exposed to different ideas and concepts through formal education, books, and other media.

Social interactions with family, friends, and peers can also shape beliefs, as individuals are influenced by the ideas and attitudes of those around them. An example could be children taking on the belief in superstitions when raised by a superstitious parents.

Cultural and religious influences can also play a significant role in shaping beliefs, as individuals may adopt the beliefs of their cultural or religious community.

Finally, reasoning and critical thinking can also play a role in forming beliefs, as individuals evaluate evidence and arguments for or against a particular idea or concept. However, it's important to note that beliefs are not always based on rational thinking and can sometimes be based on emotions, biases, or other non-rational factors. And this is the biggest culprit when it comes to limiting beliefs.

What are limiting beliefs?

Limiting beliefs are negative or self-defeating, self-limiting beliefs that an individual holds about themselves, others, or the world around them. These beliefs can hold people back from reaching their full potential and achieving their goals, as they create a self-imposed barrier that prevents them from taking necessary actions or risks.

Examples of the most common limiting beliefs include:

"I'm not good enough"

"I don't deserve success"

"I'm too old/young to do that"

"I'm not smart enough"

"I don't have enough money/resources"

(For an extensive list of limiting beliefs keep reading)

These beliefs can be formed through past experiences, cultural or societal conditioning, and negative self-talk. They can also be reinforced by external factors such as criticism or rejection.

What does it take to defeat limiting beliefs?

Overcoming limiting beliefs involves identifying them and challenging their validity through rational and positive self-talk, seeking support from others, and taking action towards achieving goals despite the negative beliefs. By replacing limiting beliefs with more empowering and positive beliefs, individuals can unlock their full potential and achieve their desired outcomes.

If we go back to where we started, it would be great if a defeat of the beliefs that limit could be delivered on unicorn however it does involve a process of self-reflection. One that I have found easier to do with clearly laid out steps, one that can be found in my “Instantly Defeat Your Limiting Beliefs” free training.

Before you get started on that it helps to clearly identify the belief you have that is most restricting you from moving forward. Have a read of the list below for inspiration. Feel free to define your own as this list is not definitive.

Examples of limiting beliefs:

• He/she is out of my league.
• I am a failure.
• I am hopeless at it.
• I am not creative.
• I am not that kind of person.
• I am not that type of person.
• I am who I am.
• I can’t do it.
• I can’t help it.
• I can’t just move houses/states/countries.
• I can’t just quit my job.
• I can’t leave.
• I could only be loved if…
• I didn’t get a degree/graduate/diploma/certificate.
• I don’t get paid enough.
• I don’t have enough experience.
• I don’t have the skills.
• I don’t have time.
• I don’t have what it takes.
• I don’t know who I am.
• I don’t need a budget.
• I don’t need to set goals, I work hard enough as it is.
• I get paid a lot so I don’t need to save money.
• I have to be perfect.
• I have to get a good job.
• I have to go to a good school.
• I have to have the best of the best.
• I have to work all the time or I will go broke.
• I have to work hard to earn money.
• I might as well give up.
• I will always be in debt.
• I will never find another job.
• I will pay off my credit card eventually.
• I will worry about saving money when I’m older.
• I wont get the payrise.
• I wont get the promotion.
• I’ll be stuck here forever.
• I’ll get to it tomorrow/next month/next year/next time.
• I’ll just do it later.
• I’ll just pay myself back.
• I’ll never be as good as them.
• I’ll never find my purpose.
• I’ll never get there.
• I’ll never like my job.
• I’ll never pay off this mortgage.
• I’m already doing my best.
• I’m not brave.
• I’m not good enough at this/for this.
• I’m not good enough.
• I’m not pretty enough.
• I’m not skinny enough.
• I’m not smart enough.
• I’m not strong enough.
• I’m terrible at this job.
• I’m too big/tall/overweight.
• I’m too busy.
• I’m too old/too young.
• I’m too out of shape.
• I’m too selfish.
• I’m too shy.
• I’m too tired.
• I’ve always been poor.
• If I could just buy it all, I would be happy.
• Im not good at relationships.
• Im not resilient.
• Im not sexy/attractive.
• Im not wealthy enough.
• Im too loud.
• It can’t make mistakes.
• It is my fault.
• It’s a waste of time.
• It’s not my fault.
• It’s not worth it when I know I will fail.
• Its too much work.
• Money doesn’t grow on trees.
• Money equals success.
• My coworkers are better than me.
• My family is rich so I don’t need to worry about my finances.
• My parents expect this of me.
• My parents wouldn’t approve.
• Someone else has already done it better.
• The boss is too hard on me.
• This job is too boring.
• This job is too easy.
• This job is too hard for me