We often walk around with little to no awareness of the fixed beliefs that hold us back in life. Understanding your limiting beliefs is the first step to expanding your idea about yourself and what’s possible for you.
This is a thought experiment to look at what you may take for granted as “that’s just the way it is” and seeing what’s on the flip side.
Edit this list according to what’s relevant to you. You’ll find that some beliefs serve you well in life, and others hold you back.
Common Limiting Beliefs
1. Success
- Once I achieve X, I’ll be successful.
- Success is about X.
- I can’t make money doing X.
2. Your Identity
- I’m not good enough.
- That’s just who I am.
- I can’t change.
- I’m not like X, so I can’t do it.
3. Milestones
- I need to get a promotion, get married, buy a house – (insert your own milestones).
- My friends are ahead of me in life.
- I’ll never be happy unless I…
4. Aging
- I’m too old for this.
- It’s too late to follow my dreams.
- This is a childish dream.
5. Death
- I’m afraid of death / of having regrets at the end of my life.
- I have time. I’ll start being/doing X someday.
- I’m still preparing for when my life will really take off.
6. Your Dreams
- I’ll fail / I can’t do it.
- I don’t have time / It’s a waste of time.
- I’d rather focus on [other goal] because I know I can achieve that.
Thought Experiment
Let’s examine the common belief: “I’m not good enough. I’ll fail.”
Ever get that feeling when a dream calls you and surfaces over and over again? It flutters and rises up in your chest with excitement.
And in the same moment of the thrill comes fear. The mind feeds the fear… Reasons, stories, and excuses why you can’t or why you’ll fail. Why it’s a stupid idea.
It convinces you that it’s not worth it.
The subconscious says, “You’re not good enough. You’ll fail.” You barely register this thought. The dream retreats.
So you continue on, running in circles, climbing the ladder. Real life calls your attention, and there’s lots of work to do.
But when the fears quiet, the dream comes back to you. Because when your dream is your truth, it won’t leave you alone that easily.
“We each have to decide for ourselves what success is. Some people want to change the world and others want to operate in simple harmony with it and savor life. Neither is better. Each of us needs to decide what we value most and choose the paths we take to achieve it.” – Ray Dalio
Everything you’ve done in life feels like a stepping stone to your dream. But you can’t shake the feeling that you’re not fully living yet, that this is all just a preparation for Act 2 – when life will really take off.
Now imagine there’s a version of “YOU” out there who is living this dream, making it a reality. Their path is separate from yours, but you can merge them if you choose to. You just have to decide. Rise up and meet it.
The current is already swelling.
What does their life look like? Who are they being? How are they spending their time? What values and beliefs do they carry?
Doubt rises again. But this time, imagine the dream feels familiar and close to heart.
It’s as if you’ve been here before. Done this before. It’s already written in the stars. Programmed in the language of the universe.
It takes a choice, and your fullest commitment.
When was the last time you committed to something with a vengeance? You mentally prepared, and your heart prepared. You did the work. It was as if you knew that if you didn’t go all in, you’d miss out on something magical.
This path was meant for you, and you fought with everything you had to meet it.
What if you applied that ferocity toward the life of your dreams – your greatest dreams?
We don’t stumble accidentally into an amazing life. It takes decision, a commitment to consistently work on ourselves. The best ones I know do it daily. A focused practice. They fail, but they pick themselves up, continue forward. – Kamal Ravikant
Once you commit with a vengeance to your dreams, doors will begin to open. Yes, there will be many challenges. And you’ll need to sacrifice tremendously to get there, including giving up your prior beliefs of what success ‘looks like’.
But the path will feel truer than anything you’ve chased before.
You’ll reach a point where you can cut the safety net. It becomes easier to move forward than to turn back.
Imagine…
What if it IS truly possible for you to achieve your greatest dreams?
For a moment, strip away all of your stories about who you are… What you can or can’t do, will or won’t achieve. These are the stories on constant loop, ingraining deeper grooves in your mind.
Examine your stories with fresh eyes, and gently discard the limiting beliefs that don’t resonate anymore. And then, take what’s beautiful about your beliefs – and keep those close to heart.
Identity isn’t fixed, and you can choose to rewrite your stories.
Choose to think in terms of abundance.
Your thoughts shape your reality – your experience of life. It’s all perspective.
Create a list of pros and cons for choosing to commit to achieving this dream vs. pushing it away. Imagine yourself on both sides. What would it take? How would you feel?
Now, really look at those fears. What’s the absolute worst that can happen?
Once you discover your truth, you have to go all in. Fully. Every single chip. That is when the shift happens. As if there’s a force in life waiting for us to make the decision, to commit, jump off that cliff. Then life breathes a deep sigh and opens the gates, fills the sails. – Kamal Ravikant
It’s a daily commitment. Go on and create the YOU out there who’s already living your dreams.
Assume that success, in the way that you define it, is possible. Act and think as if you’re already on your way. Pursue a life that excites you.
Because when you really come to terms with your mortality, would you want to have settled for anything else?
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If you want to follow my writing, I share it more frequently on my Instagram @ashmi.path and Facebook.
Love,
Ashmi
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