limiting beliefs

What are limiting beliefs?
And how do they affect our lives?

A limiting belief is a false belief that a person acquires as a result of making an incorrect conclusion about something in life. For example a person could acquire a limiting belief about his ability to succeed as soon as he fails.

I am a loser, i am a failure or i cant succeed are examples of limiting beliefs that people collect throughout their lives.

The problem with limiting beliefs

The biggest problem that limiting beliefs cause is that they force you to live below your potential. If there is a box that weights 10 kilograms but you believed that it weights 100 kilograms you might not even try to move it because of thinking that you can't.

The limiting belief in such a case prevented you from lifting the box even though you have the ability to lift it.

Where do limiting beliefs come from?

I just said that people acquire limiting beliefs as a result of going through certain life experiences but do you know that you can acquire a limiting belief through a friend?

Back to the box's example. If a friend kept telling you that this box over there is very heavy and that it weights above 100 kilograms you might not try to lift it even though you didn't try it yourself!! In such a case you acquired the limiting belief from your friend and lived with a limited potential even though you never tested your power.

The media, our friends, our relatives and the people we come in contact with keep feeding us with limiting beliefs without our notice. In the Solid Self confidence program i said that some people live without self confidence just because they absorbed the limiting beliefs imposed on them by others!!

How limiting beliefs affect behavior

In my previous article How limiting beliefs affect behavior i said that limiting beliefs force people to filter information according to their beliefs.

For example if you believe that you are a boring person then you will only remember those were bored of you while you will filter out all compliments you got.

After a while you might stop talking to people because of your limiting belief and that will make them think that you are really boring.

Voila!! you just fulfilled the prophecy and made your limiting belief become true!!

How to get rid of limiting beliefs?

So how to get rid of limiting beliefs?

Here is exactly what you should do:

• Question the limiting beliefs: If a friend told you that the box over there weights 100 kilograms ask him these questions 1) Did you try to lift it yourself? 2) who told you it wights 100 kilograms? 3) what is the prove?
• The limiting belief might just be a point of view : If your friend is physically weak then he might be saying that the box is heavy just because its too heavy for him and not necessary heavy for you. Limiting beliefs might just be the point of view of another people and not necessary facts
• Try it yourself: Try to lift the box yourself in order to seek your answers and to bust the limiting belief. If you didn't mange to lift it just don't give up right away. Just search for anybody who managed to do it and ask him about the right way. After all you might prove the limiting belief true if you weren't persistent enough to keep trying until you prove it false

Final words about limiting beliefs

Limiting beliefs can prevent you from reaching your potential, succeeding in life and can make you miserable. One of the biggest differences between those who succeed and those who don't is the ability to locate and eliminate limiting beliefs.

2knowmysef is not a complicated medical website nor a boring online encyclopedia but rather a place where you will find simple, to the point and effective information that is backed by psychology and presented in a simple way that you can understand and apply. If you think that this is some kind of marketing hype then see what other visitors say about 2knowmyself.

The Solid confidence program was launched by 2knowmyself.com; the program will either help you become more confident or give you your money back.

Want to know more?

How to get rid of limiting beliefs

How limiting beliefs are created

Dealing with false beliefs