Why I’m Grateful for Limiting Beliefs

We all have limiting beliefs.

We’ve likely had a lot of them all our lives. They’re the ideas we have about the world that limit our range of possibilities. According to Michael Hyatt, “A limiting belief is a misunderstanding of the present that shortchanges our future.”

“I’m not good at relationships (marriage/job hunting/writing/working out/sports/details/managing money. . .any word here will work).”

“I’ll never have the job I like.”

“I’ll never meet a decent guy (woman) to date (or marry).”

“I’m really awful at math.”

“I’ll never be a top producer.”

I could write a hundred more.

We all have tapes running our heads, words creating a certainty that we will never have the success we want.

And why am I grateful for limiting beliefs?

I didn’t used to understand limiting beliefs. Heck, I didn’t even know they were a thing. I just assumed that because my brain said, working on past principles, that I was terrible at math and money management and that I would never really be a writer (despite the fact that I wrote every day), it must be true.

I thought I was really bad at relationships. Now I’m married to the best guy alive.

Here’s the cool thing about limiting beliefs. That’s all they are. Beliefs.

Limiting beliefs are not reality.

And that’s why I’m grateful for them. Because they’re so changeable.

Limiting beliefs can be replaced with liberating truths.

There is one certain truth – You Become What You Do. If you have said for years that you’re not a runner and then you begin, very slowly at first, to run on a daily or every other day basis, you’ve just liberated yourself from the “truth” that you’re not a runner. Just ask your runner friends. I’ll bet you a million bucks they weren’t all born running.

You can become a runner.

Alcoholics Anonymous teaches folks that they can replace their limiting belief of “I can’t resist a drink,” with the liberating truth of “Change is possible.”

When I used to go into my coach Judy Camp’s office and say I had a listing appointment for a million dollar property but I knew I wouldn’t get it, she’d say, “That’s your limiting belief talking. Tell me the truth instead.”

She’d make me state the facts as they existed. Which were, “Although I’ve never sold a million dollar home before, I have energy and focus and an amazing online presence. If you choose me as your listing broker, I’ll treat you like you’re my only client.” Because at that time, the new client was going to be my only client.

Guess what? I got the listing.

When you trade your limiting beliefs for liberating truths, you end up empowering yourself.

Instead of “I’m no good at managing money,” say “I’m willing to learn everything I can about taking care of the money I have,” or “I can hire someone who’s great at managing money.”

I have a friend who’s widowed. She’s a warm, friendly, smart, and attractive woman who is ready to get back in the world and begin dating again after almost a decade. Walking back to our cars the other night after an evening with friends, she said, “I’m never going to meet a decent guy. My husband was the best.”

Now I believe her when she says her husband was the best. He was certainly the best for her. But I’ve known several widows and widowers who met incredibly decent and kind and interesting (and good-looking, which is another bonus) people after the deaths of their partners.

So we replaced what she was saying. “Actually, you’re finally ready to meet someone who deserves you,” I told her.

I instructed her to say it over and over. I told her I’d say it too, on a daily basis.

Because you know what? Replacing limiting beliefs with liberating truths makes the liberating truths a reality. She is finally ready to meet someone who deserves her.

Can you say it with us? Can you tell the universe or say a prayer every day for my friend, so that in her readiness to meet someone who deserves her kind and decent and loving spirit she will be able to see them? I know that once her heart accepts her readiness, the right person will show up.

She may have to kiss a few toads on the road, but just saying she’s ready is the right step.

What’s your limiting belief? How can you change it to a liberating truth?

I’m grateful for limiting beliefs, because the only power they have is when you believe they’re the truth. They’re not the truth. They’re just your perception.

Replace them today with something better and see what happens.