Self-limiting beliefs are everywhere and a
part of all of us, to greater or lesser degree. The keys to overcoming many of
these are first recognizing them, then understanding how we got them, and take action to banish
them through sustained activity. Start by taking these steps.
“Self-limiting
beliefs are everywhere and a part of all of us, to greater or lesser
degree,” says Bruce Frankel, author of What Should I Do With the Rest of
My Life? “The keys to overcoming many of these are recognizing them,
understanding how we got them, and then banishing them through sustained
activity.” - See more at:
http://www.success.com/article/doubtbusters-erase-self-limiting-beliefs#sthash.gTRnef19.dpuf
“Self-limiting
beliefs are everywhere and a part of all of us, to greater or lesser
degree,” says Bruce Frankel, author of What Should I Do With the Rest of
My Life? “The keys to overcoming many of these are recognizing them,
understanding how we got them, and then banishing them through sustained
activity.” - See more at:
http://www.success.com/article/doubtbusters-erase-self-limiting-beliefs#sthash.gTRnef19.dpuf
Isolate
The Belief
First consider what the belief is that is
limiting you. Many of us make limiting choices without realizing that they are
based on flawed, limiting beliefs.
Find times where you have done something
(or not done something) that seemed to limit you in some way. Then ask 'What
beliefs led to this choice?' Keep digging, asking 'What belief underlies that
belief?' until you come to the limiting belief or beliefs.
Also consider what concerns or frightens
you and so limits you. What do you fear? Why? What beliefs lead you to such
fears?
Seek
The Source
Think back to when you first had the
belief. When did you first belief this? What happened for you to believe it?
Were you told to believe it by someone? Was
it a parent, teacher, or maybe someone who was not thinking kindly about you.
Was it based on an experience? Did you try
something once, failed and then formed the belief that you were incapable? Or
that 'other people' think in certain ways?
Recognize
The Falsehood
In doing the above steps, you may already
realize that the limiting belief is just that: a belief which is both limited
and limiting. You are holding it because you were told to or because it helped
you once.
Take time to reflect on this and recognize
the full extent of the belief, how false it really is and especially how it has
limited you in the past. Feel free to get angry about this.
In doing this, you may need to accept that
you are not perfect, which can be disconcerting (beware of limiting beliefs
here also). You must be open to learning and ready to change.
Form
Empowering Beliefs
When you want to change a belief, you may
well need an enabling belief which will replace the old one.
Be careful with these, making them
realistic and not setting yourself up for disappointment. It can be more
effective, for example, to believe that you can do public speaking than to
immediately believe you are world-class at it. If you lack a skill that needs
to be learned, believing you now have it is likely to lead to problems. It is
better to believe you are able to learn (which is one of the most empowering
beliefs you can have). Believing 'I can' can be more powerful than thinking 'I
am'.
In a similar vein, if you thought you’re
not smart enough, notice the different between thinking that as opposed to
being intelligent. The trick is to consider where the belief will take you,
what will it let you think and do, and what evidence will it create, as in the
next step.
Create
Evidence of Success
The most powerful and unshakeable beliefs
are those that are based on lots of evidence. So now you have recognized and
challenged you limiting beliefs and found empowering beliefs, then you need to
start creating evidence.
Depending on what it is, you may be more
sensible to start small. If you believed that you could not talk with
strangers, try starting with simple politeness, saying 'thank you' and 'after
you', which immediately show that actually you can talk to strangers. Then
build up with brief small-talk, such as about the weather or sports.
When you see a success, no matter how
small, use this affirmation. Tell yourself 'I did it!' and reflect on how you
are now a changed person, with no way back. When you have done something new,
it cannot be undone.
Keep building evidence until the limiting
belief seems daft and you are now comfortable in your new belief. Determination
and persistence are critical in this.
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