Do you have pieces of business advice that stick in your head? That keep coming back to prove themselves true over and over again?
I know I do.
One message that circles back frequently is “you are what you believe.” If you find yourself stuck, maybe it’s because of a limiting belief that tells you so. A limiting belief is a judgment about yourself or your situation that you think to be true that restricts you in some way.
Here are three limiting beliefs that might be getting in your way.
- There is not enough. Whether you are talking about time, money or people, the scarcity mentality can keep you from moving forward to achieving your goals. Focusing on what is NOT available, rather than what IS available keeps you from making the best use of the resources you do have. It can also give rise to fear that keeps you from taking action.
Instead of believing there is not enough, focus on what can be done to find more while doing the best you can with what you have. Try adjusting your goals and expectations to be more in line with what is available and expand as your resources expand.
- Making mistakes is not okay. One sure way to avoid making mistakes is to do nothing…and that won’t work in business. Being creative and being willing to take some risk is often what sets a business apart from others in their niche. If team members fear that they will be blamed or disciplined for making mistakes, they may do only what is required and never venture beyond what they already know. Viewing mistakes as learning opportunities allows for innovation that can move your business to the next level.
- We are not ready. Waiting for one thing to happen until another can take place is a sure way to stay stuck in the status quo. There is often a fear hidden under the “not ready” belief, whether it’s a fear of success, a fear of failure, or a fear of the unknown. Allowing fear to rule your decisions is never a good business strategy. The truth is that if you look hard enough, you will always find a reason to wait. Doesn’t it make better sense to look for a reason to try instead?
Try substituting these thoughts for your limiting beliefs:
Instead of “there is not enough,” think “we can find a way.”
Rather than “making mistakes is not okay,” try thinking “what can we learn by this?”
Switch “we are not ready” to “let’s give it a try.”
These simple mindset changes can take you farther than faster than those limiting beliefs will allow you to go.
Give it a try.
Blessings,
Chris