3 Easy Ways for Freelancers to Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs
Posted July 19, 2010 in Inspiration
There is sometimes a striking discrepancy between the idea of something and the practice of that same thing. For example, rarely does anyone argue the idea of the benefits of exercise. Yet, putting regular exercise into practice and making it part of our daily routine is a struggle for many.
I think the same is true when it comes to the idea of our own potential. In the freelance world, don’t we aspire to the notion that we’re free to write our own ticket and that our possibilities are endless? If that is the case (and I believe it is), why do we constantly find ourselves falling short of our potential?
Common ‘Potential Zappers’
Among the strongest negative influences on potential are the inability to get past previous mistakes or failures, a continual focus on faults and weaknesses, and surrounding ourselves with negative people. In short, these unhelpful influences create a breeding ground for self-limiting statements and beliefs that prevent us from reaching our full potential.
When you learn to overcome the tendency to think or speak self-limiting statements, you change the course of negative thinking. When you do this, you really do open the avenue for limitless potential.
Here are three techniques that are especially helpful in breaking past the limits you may be imposing on your own personal and professional growth.
1. Examine the Truthfulness of Your Claim
Many self-limiting statements are simply excuses. For example, unless someone literally cannot speak, anyone who says, “I could never get in front of a group of people and give a presentation” is lying to themselves by saying they can’t do it.
Don’t allow yourself to say you can’t do things that are within the realm of your capability. You’re better off to admit you don’t want to do something rather than to say you can’t do it, because the more often you make those types of false statements, the more you will believe them.
2. Put a Value on the Outcome
When you tell yourself that you can’t do something, you excuse yourself from searching for a solution. The next time you catch yourself thinking or saying you can’t do something, ask yourself, “If I were paid a million dollars to figure out a way to do it, could I do it?” If your answer is no, then ask yourself, “If my family was taken hostage and going to be killed if I didn’t do it, could I figure out a way to do it?”
If you are honest with yourself and the answer is no to both of those questions, then you probably can’t do it. I don’t believe I can swim from Florida to Mexico, but if my family’s lives were at stake, I would die trying.
Of course, not every challenge you face is worthy of such an extreme value, but this is what you need to figure out. How much value do you put on the outcomes that are within your reach every day, but that you haven’t been pursuing? What is landing that elusive client or beginning that blog worth to you?
3. Believe That You Can
An all-too common limiting belief is the idea that you can’t reach a certain level of success. On a success scale of 1-10, you may think you can get to a 7, but not a 10. If someone else has reached a 10, why can’t you? Really; why can’t you?
Fear of Failure
Finally, fear of failure is one of the most destructive self limiting beliefs of all. What would you do if you believed you would not fail? Envisioning the outcome of your success is a powerful way to exercise your potential.
If you believe you can, you can. If you believe you can’t, you can’t. Both statements are accurate. Which one will help you achieve your potential this week?
Share Your Thoughts
What self-limiting beliefs do you struggle with?
Share your answer in the comments
Image by bigtallguy
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- 5 Easy Ways to Finish Your Day With A Bang
About the author: Todd Smith is the creator and author of Little Things Matter —daily lessons to help you become the person you need to be in order to achieve your goals and live the life you want.
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25 Comments
Jordan Walker
July 19th, 2010 at 8:42 amThat floating a to the left will cure all alignment problems.
Craig Zabransky
July 19th, 2010 at 9:00 amA great read to start the week. Yes, I am going into this week, with Yes I can. And I plan to be a 10. Thank you.
Stay adventurous,
Craig
dava
July 19th, 2010 at 9:32 amAlthough it isn’t really a self-limiting belief, I fall prey to apathy all too often. If things aren’t going as well as I’d like, I sometimes just relax into it and don’t do what needs to be done to improve. The apathy then leads to negative thinking and an ugly spiral can ensue.
Simply being aware of the self-imposed limitations is a great first step to overcoming them. Thanks for the reminder to be open to possibilities!
Josh Chandler
July 19th, 2010 at 9:58 amTodd,
I find that if I am not always focusing on working towards my goals that I get stuck focusing on the minutiae of my mistakes. We all have to make these mistakes to develop.
Kelsey
July 19th, 2010 at 12:06 pmBelieving that you can make a big difference. I’ve been a reading a lot of books about the Law of Attraction and that as helped me find confidence and success.
Crystal
July 19th, 2010 at 12:33 pmI definitely have these types of beliefs from time to time, and they can be very limiting. Thanks for the inspiring post. :)
Freelance FactFile
July 19th, 2010 at 2:10 pmMy self-limiting belief is standing up and giving workshops. I used to give one-day workshops on ‘how to write copy that sells’ but I just didn’t enjoy doing it. People gave me positive feedback on the courses I did but I just didn’t like doing them.
Kelsey’s point about believing you can make a difference is a great one. I had a meeting this afternoon with a new client and I asked ‘what about if you did this?’ and ‘have you tried such and such?’ Each idea I gave him sounded rather obvious ones to me but they were great ideas to him. So, I know I can make a difference to his organisation.
Unit B
July 19th, 2010 at 3:53 pmRe: number 3, believe that you can. Or until you believe more strongly, ‘fake it until you make it.’ Your belief, or disbelief (as the case may be), can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. So take on the attitude that you want, and you’ll likely grow into it.
Sort of reminds me of the line from Bull Durham: “Don’t think, Meat. You can only hurt the team.” Get out of your own head and success can follow.
Jae Xavier
July 19th, 2010 at 5:02 pmAnd number 4:
Repetition of the right information.
Train the brain to replace old beliefs with new ones.
Just look at what the military does with new recruits.
Laura Spencer
July 19th, 2010 at 7:11 pmThanks so much Todd for sharing a thoughtful and inspiring post with us! :-)
Julianne Britton
July 20th, 2010 at 6:55 amExcellent post!
I think everybody struggles with at least one of these problems at one time or another. Generally, i feel pretty positive but i have those days where I feel that I’m just not as good as everybody else.
However, I’m not going to think like that anymore! =D
If other people can do it, so can I! ^_^
Todd Smith
July 20th, 2010 at 10:12 amHey Everyone- Thanks for commenting on my post, “3 Easy Ways for Freelancers to Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs.” I enjoyed reading your comments. I wish you all the best of success. Todd
Jennifer Woodard
July 20th, 2010 at 11:03 amI would like to add one more self limiting believe that many people do not realize they have and often confuse with the “fear of failure” and that is the “fear of success.” It is easy to think that we are not working to the best of our ability because we are afraid to fail. Yet, many people are afraid to succeed, afraid of being successful. The root of the fear could they are afraid of what people will expect of them if they start becoming successful, afraid they will not be able to maintain the success. Sometimes people have this internal belief that they are posers and if they are successful, people will find out that they are not as smart or capable that they pretended. These are usually just internal limiting beliefs and can be overcome by stepping out there and accepting your successes as earned success and not just luck.
I used to think I had a fear of failure until someone actually pointed out that I had a fear of success and showed me examples of where this fear has showed up in my life. I was amazed at how it was actually true and how I was actually sabotaging my own success and creating failures in my life. This is a area that I still work against and for myself most of it stems from my failure to believe in myself and my capabilities. Right now it shows up in ways such as, putting off starting personal projects that will move my business forward, not aggressively marketing my business or not following up on good leads. It is like battling an affliction but in the end I will succeed, because I have learned to recognize the affliction and most days combat it when its evil head rises up out of the darkness.
Jenn
SEO Bournemouth
August 2nd, 2010 at 4:22 pmGreat help for all the freelancers out there with limiting beliefs – it very Tony Robbins, great stuff thanks for sharing!
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