Limiting Beliefs: How to Identify and Overcome Them
- sibylle malphettes
- Jun 20
- 3 min read
Limiting beliefs shape how we see the world. They deeply influence our decisions, our behavior, and our sense of fulfillment. Like invisible filters, they block our potential, keeping us from trying, growing, or seizing opportunities. But the good news is: limiting beliefs are not permanent. You can identify them, challenge them, and transform them to unlock new possibilities.
What Is a Limiting Belief?
A limiting belief is a deeply rooted thought that makes us underestimate our abilities or view situations as unchangeable. These beliefs often come from past experiences, education, or cultural influences. They typically follow rigid, restrictive patterns.
Common examples include:
“I’m not good enough to succeed.”
“Others are more talented than I am.”
“I don’t deserve to be happy.”
“It’s too late to change my path.”
These thoughts may sound familiar and even harmless—but they shape how we think, feel, and act. They create invisible blocks that keep us from moving forward.
Where Do Limiting Beliefs Come From?
Limiting beliefs are shaped by several sources:
Family and early environment: Messages from parents, teachers, or authority figures can leave lasting impressions. Hearing “Money doesn’t grow on trees” may lead to scarcity thinking.
Past experiences: Failures or rejections can turn into beliefs like “I’m not capable” or “This isn’t meant for me.”
Social and cultural norms: Society defines success, worth, age, and relationships in ways that can create pressure and internal limitations.
Brain protection mechanisms: The human brain prefers comfort and familiarity. Even negative beliefs can feel safe because they prevent risk or change.
But here’s the truth: these beliefs are not universal truths. They are personal interpretations that can be changed.
How to Identify Your Limiting Beliefs
The first step to transforming a limiting belief is awareness. Try asking yourself:
What thought is holding me back right now?
In what situations do I feel stuck or powerless?
Where did this belief come from? Is it really true?
What would happen if I believed the exact opposite?
Listen to your inner dialogue. Phrases like “I can’t,” “It’s not possible for me,” or “I’ve always been like this” are often signs of a limiting belief.
How to Deconstruct and Transform a Belief
1. Step back and challenge the belief
Ask yourself:
Have I ever seen someone succeed where I believe it’s impossible?
Are there any counter-examples to this belief?
What’s truly stopping me from trying?
Often, limiting beliefs don’t hold up to logic — they’re based on fear, not fact.
2. Replace the belief with a resourceful one
Instead of:
“I’m not good enough,” try “I can learn and grow at my own pace.”
“I’m too old to change,” try “It’s never too late to evolve and follow what inspires me.”
The goal isn’t blind optimism, but empowering clarity that gives you energy and direction.
3. Create new experiences
Beliefs are reinforced by repetition. So create new evidence by:
Trying small, doable challenges that counter the old belief.
Writing down every small success to retrain your brain to notice what works.
Practicing visualization: imagining yourself confidently acting from your new belief helps the mind integrate it.
How Hypnotherapy and Systems Work Help Transform Beliefs
Ericksonian hypnotherapy is a powerful tool to reach the unconscious mind and rewire deep thought patterns. It allows for change without inner resistance, in a safe and gentle way.
Systemic coaching helps reveal how your environment (family, culture, workplace) may be reinforcing your beliefs. Understanding these dynamics helps you step back and shift more easily.
Are Your Beliefs Serving You or Limiting You?
Beliefs are not inherently good or bad. What matters is whether they help you grow or hold you back. By learning to recognize, question, and reframe your limiting beliefs, you reclaim your power and open the door to new possibilities.
Change doesn’t happen overnight, but every new insight is a step toward freedom.
If you’re ready to explore and shift your limiting beliefs, I’m here to help with personalized coaching and hypnotherapy sessions.
You have the right to live your full potential.Let’s challenge what’s limiting you — and unlock what’s possible.
Need guidance? Let’s talk.
+32 472 54 50 23
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