How to Identify Your Limiting Beliefs

How to Identify Your Limiting Beliefs

Most of us operate on auto-pilot without questioning why we do the things we do. It is only when we seem to come across an invisible wall that keeps us from the desired outcomes of our life, do we start to pull back the veil on our personal operating system - our core beliefs. All beliefs are neutral, however, if it does not serve you or hinders you, then this is a clear indication that you are dealing with a limiting belief. Your limiting beliefs often hide beyond conscious awareness but yet there are often clues or signals that show up in our life that point to what these limiting beliefs may be. 

Your limiting beliefs can potentially manifest in the following ways:

Making Excuses

Complaining

Negative/Judgmental Thoughts

Unhelpful Habits

Hesitation

Fear of Failure or Success

Excessive Worry

Procrastination

Perfectionism

Pay careful attention when these thoughts, feelings and ways of being arise, as they are pretty helpful indicators that there may be a limiting belief laying dormant just below the surface of conscious awareness. Your limiting beliefs are assumptions you make about reality that are not helpful. You can start to tease these limiting beliefs into awareness by asking yourself the following questions, and then list the limiting beliefs that come up for you: 

What is holding me back? What is getting in the way?

How am I feeling about [insert one of the above manifestations of the limiting belief]?

What excuses do I make? What do they mean? Why do I make them?

What kind of things do I tend to complain about, or blame others for?

What negative thoughts are coming up for me? 

What do I believe about my abilities or inabilities? 

What do I expect should happen? What usually ends up happening? 

Do I have any values that are in conflict with what I believe in? 

What am I labeling myself or describing myself? 

What stories do I tell myself about what I should or shouldn't be doing?