Limiting Beliefs

Limiting beliefs are those things you believe about yourself that place limitations on your abilities. Limiting beliefs are simply assumptions about reality that are not true. In order for our actions to have the greatest positive effect, we need to have beliefs that are as close to reality as possible - deceiving ourselves will take us further from the goal. So, a limiting belief, when it comes down to it, is a belief that isn’t true.

Some common examples of limiting beliefs could be:

• That you have specific roles, traits or capabilities which cannot be avoided or replaced
• That a particular opinion is fact and therefore, there is no point even contemplating other viewpoints
• That a specific action or result is the only way to solve a particular problem
• That success is futile so there is no point trying

Some clients will need a lot of support to change their beliefs. The coach will need to challenge, encourage and support the client every step of the way as they are guided to the place where they can achieve their full potential. The coach will use a variety of techniques to raise the client’s awareness of what their limiting beliefs are. Through answering incisive and powerful questions, the client will be prompted to actually see the truth for the first time. Once the coach has an indication of the client’s limiting beliefs, they can help them to address and change them.

If the client is unable to see a way forward or just cannot think of what to do to progress towards achieving their goal, you can use well-phrased, incisive questions that raise perception and open the realms of possibility to them. These questions normally have two parts to them. The first part being the temporary suspension of the limiting belief, which then allows the client, for a moment, to be creative as they answer the second part. It frees the rational mind to explore outside the boundaries it has imposed. This technique is very successful as it unblocks a client’s mind and helps them dream in safety.

What are the Top ten human limiting beliefs?

1. We fear GREATNESS
2. We fear FAILURE
3. We fear we are NOT (good) ENOUGH to achieve what we want
4. We fear NOT being LOVED
5. We fear REJECTION
6. We have negative attributes assigned to rich people – Rich people are…
7. We fear SUCCESS
8. We don’t DESERVE/ We’re not WORTHY of SUCCESS
9. We have to work very hard, long hours for our money
10. There are lots of deep-rooted beliefs that hold me back