You’ve probably heard of the old story of the baby elephant who was tied to a post with a rope. The newborn elephant pushes and tugs, yet neither the fence nor the rope are broken. It eventually gives up and accepts its fate. The young elephant is stuck to the pole it is tied to.
But when the elephant matures, it becomes a large, adult elephant with enormous legs, a giant tusk, and a swirling trunk, and if it chose to, it could easily walk away from the pole. However, the adult elephant stays chained to the fence because it mistakenly thinks it can never escape, believing the barrier to be some sort of immovable object.
Just like the limiting beliefs the adult elephant had which stopped it from breaking free of its barriers, we too have many limiting beliefs that have been imposed upon us from childhood. False assumptions that impede us from achieving our ambitions are known as limiting beliefs. Limiting beliefs may prevent you from taking essential actions, such as submitting an application for your ideal job or ending a bad relationship. Additionally, they can prevent you from taking unnecessary (yet fun) risks like bungee jumping from a mountain top in sub-Saharan Africa or eating a meal at the fair just because it appears novel and unusual.
Limiting beliefs are typically unconscious notions that act as protective mechanisms against potential disappointments, failure, and disappointment. You could have had a certain problem in the past, and now when you are confronted with a circumstance that is similar, your subconscious looks for a means to attempt to block it. However, not all limiting beliefs are bad since some of them prevent us from doing dangerous (and even, illegal) activities.
It's not always simple to get rid of restricting notions. We have them engrained in us firmly, frequently since young. However, you can learn how to get rid of your limiting beliefs once you realize what they are and how to spot them. You could finally realize all of your goals by integrating practical techniques for altering limiting beliefs into your daily life.
There are mainly 3 kinds of limiting beliefs:
Limiting self-perceptions that give you the impression that something is fundamentally wrong with you, hence, preventing you from doing something.
Limiting worldviews that give you the impression that nothing is possible and that no one will allow you do to certain things.
Limiting life views that give you the impression that something is too tough for you to do.
Here are some steps to overcome your limiting beliefs and achieve your highest potential:
Identify your limiting beliefs
Defining and identifying limiting beliefs is the first step towards getting rid of them. They hinder us in a number of ways, giving us the impression that we don't merit success, that we're not as good as others, and that everyone is out to get us.
These ideas frequently seem to you as a thought rather than as something you speak out. Putting these ideas down on paper can help you distinguish between truth and fiction and enable you to recognize how false they actually are.
Any tension brought on by the notion might be lessened by journaling your thoughts. The question of whether this notion is pertinent to the upcoming ten minutes might also be asked. If not, put the sheet of paper with your unfavourable ideas away and close your diary.
Decide to take responsibility for your beliefs
People seldom accept responsibility for their life, which is the main cause of their failure to attain their goals. They prefer to think that things simply happen to them and that their circumstances are beyond their control. This is referred to as an external locus of control, and it is a limiting notion in and of itself. You need to establish an internal centre of control or the conviction that life happens for you, not to you, in order to learn how to go over your limiting beliefs. Your fate is ultimately decided by your actions.
Events in life are frequently beyond our control, but what we can control is how we respond to them. We can control our emotions, learn from mistakes, make better judgments, and strive toward our objectives.
Assess the accuracy of your beliefs
If just outlining your ideas isn't enough, it might be useful to consider if your opinions are based on fact or fiction.
You may see your limiting beliefs for what they truly are by digging deeper into them. Take a minute to pause and consider the notion the next time a bad belief pops up. Consider whether it is self-limiting and whether there is any verifiable proof to support your claim. Determine if the thinking is a result of past experiences or dread of the unknown.
If you strive for perfection, it might hinder your productivity and make you want to quit up when things aren't going according to plan. To overcome this, one strategy is to ask your loved ones for their opinions. Ask if you're unsure whether your limiting notion is true. By obtaining an impartial viewpoint from someone who doesn't share your perspective, you may more easily distinguish between the truth and the fiction you tell yourself.
Let go of the need for certainty
We all seek assurance. In modest doses, it provides us with comfort and stability in our lives and is one of the six most powerful human needs. However, certainty may sometimes be a hindrance. You can't leave the job you despise because of it. It's what keeps you in unhealthily close friendships and familial interactions as well as love partnerships. That's why you decided against writing a book or taking that trip to India.
Limiting beliefs are certainty's closest buddy, and certainty kills dreams. Dream big rather than dwelling on what you'll never accomplish. Use the rocking chair test to determine what you would regret most when you are old and grey and reflect on your life. This is a sure-shot way to overcome limiting beliefs.
Change your self-talk
However, more often than not, it is negative self-talk that is telling you why you can't, don't want to, or mustn't do anything. Your limiting beliefs can occasionally exist deep inside your subconscious. We constantly talk to ourselves, and the more we do so, the more we believe what we are telling ourselves. Humans have thousands of ideas every day—possibly even tens of thousands—and if even a tiny percentage of them are limiting beliefs, it creates a persistently unfavorable story in your mind.
Make use of positive affirmations
Positive affirmations are one of the most effective strategies for overcoming limiting thoughts. You may boost your self-confidence by repeating positive statements to yourself.
To change negative self-beliefs into positive ones, use positive affirmations. For instance, if you are telling yourself that you are not qualified for a promotion, change your perspective by reminding yourself that you work hard and deserve success. By turning any negative ideas into positive ones, you may defeat them. Saying things aloud to yourself or others might assist strengthen the idea even though there are several ways to accomplish this.
Additionally, mentoring and coaching are other extremely powerful techniques to identify and get rid of your limiting beliefs. You will learn that you can get rid of negative ideas that have previously kept you from achieving your objectives once you realize that you can alter your life by changing your beliefs. You will be motivated to get rid of limiting beliefs and accomplish your goals once a coach or mentor starts to concentrate on your talents and how they can grow.
It's crucial to learn how to let go of limiting ideas if you want to advance personally and achieve success in all spheres of your life. Your life is something you have designed. Anything is possible for you. Stop allowing your limiting thoughts to keep you back.
