By Linda S. Pucci, Ph.D.
For the past 30-plus years I have been working with people who want greater success and happiness in their jobs and their lives. I find the biggest obstacle to success is often the self-limiting beliefs they hold.
Limiting beliefs can be anything. They can be about what we believe is possible for us to achieve or have in our life. “I can’t do it” is an example of a common belief that totally blocks anything you attempt.
A limiting belief can be a judgment about our abilities, skills or knowledge. “I’m not good enough;” “I don’t know enough;” “I’m not good at it” are examples of this sort of self-limitation.
We also may limit ourselves by not dreaming big enough. “I only want to make enough money to get by” is a common limiting belief that puts a ceiling on your financial earnings. Individuals who hold this belief often find that whenever they start to get ahead, the car breaks down, their child needs braces, or some other circumstance reduces them to “just getting by.”
How we think about ourselves and the circumstances of our lives creates possibilities or limitations and ultimately shapes our destiny. If you hold beliefs about how you are limited, that is the reality you will create. You either won’t explore new possibilities, or you won’t believe that having what you want is possible.
One of the most insidious limiting beliefs is the belief “I can’t…” This belief keeps you from taking action, and exploring the possibility that you can do it, or can learn how.
What about when there is some reality to this belief? The fact is that you may not yet be able to do what you need to do. You may not have the skills—yet. At the same time, sitting on the sidelines wringing your hands because you aren’t an expert at something will guarantee that you’ll stay stuck right there. Whatever your dreams, unless you allow yourself to believe that you can acquire the skills you need, or you can hire the talent required, you will keep yourself from having the sort of life you want.
Limiting beliefs keep you stuck. They are a huge obstacle to your success. But they are simply beliefs. You can change any belief you hold. Start by challenging your limiting beliefs. If you still believe they are true, modify them by adding the word “yet.” Then create a plan for improving yourself.
Think about what you would need to believe in order to be successful. Model someone who holds empowering beliefs. Work with someone to identify and get rid of the specific limiting beliefs that block your success.
Once you challenge these beliefs and rid yourself of them, you will discover that your options will increase. You will encounter new choices that will carry forward toward the goals you have set to achieve your dreams.
Once you begin to challenge your self-limiting beliefs, you will find that you will recognize them when you begin to think them, and will be able to change them fairly easily. Getting rid of self-limiting beliefs allows you to achieve and create the kind of life you really want to live.
© 2012 Linda S. Pucci, Ph.D.
Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach, trainer and owner of Inner Resource Center, LLC. She has more than 30 years of experience helping people overcome obstacles, change their lives, and reach goals they had not thought possible using her solution focused approach. She specializes in helping people get unstuck from “emotional clutter”–the negative emotions and limiting beliefs that sabotage their success. For more techniques, download her e-book: “Get Rid of Emotional Clutter: How Negative Emotions and Limiting Beliefs Block Your Dreams and What You Can Do About It” or for more information to combat YOUR limiting beliefs, InnerResourceCenter.com.
