There is a popular saying : “The only thing standing between you and your goal is yourself.” .
As a leader or entrepreneur, have you ever felt like the biggest obstacle to your success wasn’t external challenges, but your own thoughts?
Perhaps you’ve hesitated to take a bold step, questioned your abilities, or let self-doubt hold you back.
I know I have.
Whether in leadership, personal growth, or daily decision-making, these beliefs can prevent progress and keep us from living the life we desire.
In this blog, we’ll explore what limiting beliefs are, how they impact leadership and growth, and strategies to overcome them so you can unlock your full potential.
So let’s dive in!
What Are Limiting Beliefs?
Limiting beliefs are those nagging thoughts that tell you, “You can’t,” “You’re not good enough,” or “It’s too risky.” They’re the silent barriers we construct in our minds, often without even realizing it.
Mind you, the thoughts above aren’t necessarily negative only. They’re also there to keep us safe. It’s just that sometimes, they tend to keep us too safe.
Knowing the cause of your limiting beliefs is a great way to understand the thought process behind them and begin to manage them.
So, let’s get into some practical tips for recognizing and breaking through those limiting beliefs.
How to Recognize Your Limiting Beliefs?
Recognizing limiting beliefs can be tricky because they often disguise themselves as rational thoughts.
- “I’m not good enough to manage this project.”
- “Do I have enough time?”
- “I’m not smart enough to lead this meeting.”
- “I don’t have enough experience for this big career move.”
- I’ll never be a great leader: “I’ll never be a great leader with my lack of confidence.” etc…
If you’re reading the list above and nodding your head to some or all of them, it is very likely that you’re holding onto limiting beliefs, without even realizing.
For example, a common limiting belief in leadership is the fear of failure. You may tell yourself, “If I make the wrong decision, my team will lose faith in me.” Or, perhaps imposter syndrome kicks in, making you feel unqualified, despite your achievements.
Most of us have had these hesitations and inner doubts, some more some less throughout our career or our personal lives.
The first step to confront these fears and doubts is to ask yourself:
What fears or doubts keep showing up in my mind?
What excuses do I make for not pursuing certain goals?
When do I hold back instead of taking action?
Once you answer these questions and identify your limiting beliefs, the next step is to catch them in action.
Listen for them when you speak and go about your days. Every time you catch them, ask yourself “What proof do I have that confirms this statement?”
That will help your brain switch to a logical mode, which may inspire you to take action instead of holding back.
How do Limiting Beliefs Impact Leadership and Growth?
Limiting beliefs can have a huge effect on how we lead, make decisions, and push for innovation. As a leader, if you’re constantly second-guessing yourself, people notice—your team picks up on that hesitation.
I’ve been there too. You start overthinking decisions, and suddenly, the bold moves you need to make seem too risky. That fear of failure creeps in, and before you know it, you’re holding back.
When you trust yourself as a leader, it directly impacts your team’s confidence. But if you’re stuck in self-doubt, it’s hard to empower others.
4 Strategies to Overcome Limiting Beliefs
So, how can you break free from these mental blocks? Here are four practical strategies to help you overcome limiting beliefs. There are many more, but this is a good starting point.
1. Confront the Belief
The first step to overcoming a limiting belief is acknowledging it. Instead of trying to push the thought away, embrace it and be curious about it.
Have you ever noticed that we tend to do the exact opposite of what we’re told? Like, when someone tells you not to do something, you tend to reeeeally want to do it.
Same thing with our thoughts. It’s much harder to do something about a thought if you’re trying to ignore it. It just takes a lot more effort to change. If you acknowledge a belief, then you can do something about it with much less effort, too.
2. Reframe the Narrative
Once you’ve identified a limiting belief, it’s time to reframe it.
Instead of thinking, “I can’t handle conflict,” shift your mindset to, “I can learn conflict resolution skills.” or “I can’t handle conflict yet.” The word YET is short but very powerful. You can read more about it in my newsletter post here.
Reframing our negative thoughts helps us transition our mind from emotional into logical perspective. That helps us see possibilities and we’re more likely to act on them.
3. Challenge and Test the Belief
Question the validity of your beliefs. Ask yourself, “How true is this belief?”
Often, our beliefs are based on assumptions rather than facts. What evidence do you have to support—or contradict—this belief?
Take small, actionable steps to test these beliefs. If you think you’re not creative enough to come up with new business ideas, start brainstorming every day for a week. Challenge your own limits.
4. Surround Yourself with Positive Influences
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Find mentors, peers, or communities that inspire and uplift you.
For example, whenever I start doubting myself and can’t seem to reach anyone to talk to, I tend to watch a LinkedIn learning or a MasterClass course. I read personal and professional development books, even if it’s just a chapter.
I tend to immerse myself in something practical that will help me get going. Once I start, I gain momentum and then it’s easy to keep going.
Surround yourself with positive, growth oriented people. Their confidence can fuel your own.
Embrace Your Potential
At the end of the day, the only thing standing between you and your goals is your mindset.
Yes, I know, easier said than done, but we have to start somewhere and starting with your mindset is a great start.
It’s a slow process, but you’ll learn so much along the way.
So, what is the smallest step you can take today to get started?
Some time ago, my accountability partner and a fellow coach, Christina Michaelidou and I did a Q&A on Limiting Beliefs in Business. You can find the recording below.