I struggled with a number of limiting beliefs during my time in employment…

And when I was thinking about quitting my job…

And today, as I build my coaching business.

I’ve listed below some common limiting beliefs when it comes to work, to careers and to success more generally.

So let me ask you...

How many of these limiting beliefs feel familiar to you?

1. Taking risks will lead to failure

2. Succeeding requires a lot of luck

3. The job market is too competitive

4. Succeeding requires connections I don’t have

5. I’m too old/too young to get where I want to go

6. My past failures will always stop me from succeeding

7. I don’t have the right personality traits to succeed at this

8. I have to sacrifice my personal life to succeed professionally

9. I don’t have the experience or qualifications I need to succeed

10. I’m not naturally talented enough to go where I want to get to

11. I’m destined to be stuck in a job I don’t like for the rest of my life

12. I can’t handle the pressure that comes with higher level positions

Now, here’s the thing:

When I read through this list, some of these beliefs pop out at me.

I can feel the truth of them.  They’re real obstacles which are (or were) standing in my way.

But others don’t feel truthful.  They have no impact on me at all.

And what I realised is that someone else could look at this same list of beliefs, and based on their own situation and experiences, have no problem whatsoever with the beliefs that I’ve earmarked as problematic…

Yet struggle immensely with the beliefs that, for me, look manageable.  Or even look false.

So what to make of that? 

Clearly beliefs are subjective, and what’s true for one person isn’t true for another.

And I think this is helpful to recognise.

It’s good to know that a belief isn’t a stone-cold, hard and fast truth.

It may feel true for you.  It may feel true for me. 

But none of these beliefs are universally true.  None of these are unequivocal, absolute truths.

Instead, they’re thoughts which have crystallised one stage further.

They’re thoughts which have been backed up by experiences, habits or circumstances to the point that they’re no longer just a thought, but a very real, solid, sticky thought. 

Otherwise known as a belief.

But experiences, habits and circumstances don’t equal reality.

And if some of these beliefs feel true to you and you can’t shake them (even though you want to), here’s my suggestion:

Go looking for someone who doesn’t believe your belief…

Have a chat with them...

And listen to what they have to say.

Don’t listen to disagree with what they’re saying, or to look for “yes, buts…” or to fit their world-view into your own view of the world.

Just listen.

If you do, there’s a chance you may hear something new.

And there’s a chance a chink of armour might appear in that limiting belief of yours.

That’s it for today.

- Tom