Your limiting beliefs, often birthed in childhood experiences, or trauma as an adult is holding you back. Dr. Janie Lacy is America’s favorite psychotherapist. She’s featured on Court TV, 90 Day Fiancé and more. She spoke recently about this. You can see her video about this here.
As a small business expert, Ramon Ray, publisher of ZoneofGenius.com knows these limitations don’t just affect our personal lives, as husbands, parents, sons, daughters, students. But these limitations also limit our professional lives as business owners or career employees.
As small business owners, we often wear many hats, sacrificing time with family and friends to devote to our passion projects. However, no matter how much time and effort we invest, we may not be achieving the results we desire. Why do some businesses thrive while others struggle? One possibility is limiting beliefs. Limiting beliefs are deeply rooted assumptions about ourselves and the world around us that can hold us back from reaching our full potential.
What are limiting beliefs?
Limiting beliefs are stories we tell ourselves that simply are not true but feel real. These beliefs can be influenced by any number of factors, such as societal norms, parents, culture, or religion. Some examples of limiting beliefs may include thinking that we are not smart enough, not talented enough, or not good enough to achieve success. These beliefs can become self-fulfilling prophecies that hold us back from trying new things or pursuing new opportunities.
How does our childhood or early experiences affect us?
Often, our limiting beliefs stem from early experiences, childhood traumas, or past mistakes. It is essential to recognize that our experiences shape our identities, and our identities shape our beliefs. For instance, if you grew up in a household where money was tight, you might have a limiting belief that you will always struggle with finances regardless of how successful your business becomes. By identifying these limiting beliefs, you can begin to challenge them and replace them with more empowering beliefs that will help you overcome obstacles.
Push yourself into discomfort to conquer your limiting beliefs.
One effective way to conquer limiting beliefs is to push yourself out of your comfort zone. When we feel uncomfortable, we create new neural pathways that help us overcome our fears and doubts. For example, if you are someone who fears public speaking, challenging yourself to give a speech in front of a group can help you overcome this fear. By consistently challenging ourselves in uncomfortable situations, we can break down the barriers that hold us back and learn to embrace new opportunities.
Be around others who can build you up and not push you down.
It is essential to surround ourselves with individuals who empower and inspire us. Too often, we may have friendships that are not supportive, and we may have to limit the amount of time spent with these individuals. In contrast, if you can find a group of like-minded individuals who share similar dreams and goals, your productivity, motivation, and inspiration will skyrocket. Sharing ideas and support can help you stay focused and motivated for success.
Limit negative self-talk.
Negative self-talk is a trap that is easy to fall into but challenging to break free. Negative self-talk often reinforces limiting beliefs and can automate our self-doubt, destroying our motivation to achieve success. The good news is we can learn to reduce negative self-talk with practice. By being aware of our negative thoughts, we can challenge them, and replace them with more empowering and positive thoughts. By doing so, we will start to see different opportunities, new potential, and newfound energy to pursue our goals.
Chang The Soundtracks
Jon Acuff, best-selling author, popular speaker, and entrepreneur, has turned this topic into an art form. In his book, Soundtracks, he suggests listening to soundtracks that inspire us to challenge our current beliefs. For instance, if you struggle with imposter syndrome, listening to a soundtrack that inspires you to become more confident can transform your experience. These soundtracks allow us to create new stories about ourselves that challenge limiting beliefs, ultimately changing our entire narrative.
As small business owners, our limiting beliefs can influence our chances of success. These beliefs stem from our experiences, childhood traits, and other factors and can hold us back from our full potential. Fortunately, we can challenge these thoughts by pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones, surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals who uplift us, limiting negative self-talk, and dissecting our limiting beliefs, replacing them with more empowering ones. By doing so, we will start to see things differently, experience increased energy, and open ourselves to new opportunities for success.
