Limiting Beliefs List: The Barriers You Didn’t Know You Had

Limiting Beliefs List: The Barriers You Didn’t Know You Had

The most dangerous thing about limiting beliefs isn’t that they limit us.

It’s that we often don’t see them as beliefs to be changed––we just see them as true!

In the same way that a fish swimming in the ocean never considers other creatures that breathe on land…

Someone who thinks “I could never do that” doesn’t picture an alternate reality in which they absolutely can. 

And even if they happen to consider it in theory, for a moment, they rarely see it as a true, achievable state for themselves, right now.

What’s critical to understand is: there’s no limiting beliefs list that we were all given and consciously decided to believe.

We become limited by these ideas through societal osmosis: seeing everyone around us live by them and silently absorbing them into our own perception. 

Most people, unfortunately, live their entire lives under the same common limiting beliefs as everyone else.

They leave this world fully convinced they don’t have enough money, talent, or time to do what they would love.

But some people –– an uncommon few –– find this unacceptable. Even if it takes years (which, by the way, it doesn’t have to!), they go on a journey to uproot every last dream-stifling idea from their life.

The views that block our full potential the most tend to cluster into four categories, or what I call paradigms.

Now, before going into them, know this: the journey to overcome limiting beliefs isn’t as simple as reading some words about why they’re not real, and then immediately shedding them. 

You acquired these outlooks over a period of time, and it may take some time to fully clear them away!

So, with that in mind, read the rest of this article with a gentle spirit of curiosity and openness. Allow the truth about what’s keeping you in your comfort zone to slowly seep in, and inevitably transform you. 

Below is a list of limiting beliefs in each of the four paradigms and the Brave Thinking truth about them:

Limiting Belief Paradigm #1: Fear of Being Fundamentally Flawed

The fear of being fundamentally flawed takes many forms, and is one of the most insidious kinds of limiting beliefs that one can have.

That’s because this is a belief about the very core of your being. It’s not a question of whether you have a particular skill, or enough resources, or the right connections to do or become something.

It’s an all-encompassing view of yourself as being flawed at the most basic, overall level. And it can result in never even trying to do what you dream of at all. 

Some of the most common limiting beliefs in this paradigm are:

“I am not enough.” 

Brave Thinking Truth: Not only are you “enough”, you’re connected to an infinite Universe. Your very essence is that of limitless abundance. All ideas of not being enough come from the conditioning of today’s world. They aren’t an innate part of your true nature.

As I said: simply hearing these words wont result in you instantly feeling limitless. That’s okay. At this stage, a gentle exposure to the truth is what will benefit you most, and slowly go to work on rewiring your beliefs.

“I am not smart enough.”

Brave Thinking Truth: Part of being connected to an infinite Universe is that you’re connected to a source of infinite intelligence. And this isn’t in any way mystical, theoretical, or philosophical. Anywhere you look in this world are astonishing feats of natural ingenuity. The seasons, the weather, harnessable electricity…there is nothing that nature does not have the innate capacity to make happen, so long as the conditions are discovered and set into motion.

And you came directly from that limitless creative intelligence of nature. Therefore, logically, there is nothing you are not, or cannot become, smart enough to do.

“I am not talented enough.”

Brave Thinking Truth: There is such a thing as innate talent. Some people enter this world with a gift for language, or math, or any number of other things. This should not be denied. And we are all perhaps best served to go in the direction of our given talents. This is generally where we will have the most ease and the least struggle. With that said, sometimes, obsession and desire create talent where none previously existed. 

A person who is burningly motivated to do or discover something often finds themselves surpassing those with more “talent” than themselves. 

“There is something wrong with me.” 

Brave Thinking Truth: How can it be possible for something perfect (our infinite Universe) to create something imperfect? Now, when I say “perfect”, know this: I don’t mean some manufactured idea of perfect. I don’t mean living up to arbitrary societal standards of “perfect beauty” or “perfect family.” By “perfect”, I mean “perfectly natural.” 

Nature created you as a unique, one-of-a-kind individual with gifts and capacities that no one else has ever had in quite the same way. Whatever you feel to be wrong with you, may be more so a result of judging yourself by false standards, than a reflection of your true worth. 

Limiting Belief Paradigm #2: Fear of Loyalty & Abandonment

Fears around loyalty and abandonment can make it very challenging to feel comfortable while building your dreams. 

After all: no matter what we dream of accomplishing, the people we do it or celebrate it with are usually a big part of the dream.

And if you believe that accomplishing your dream will alienate the people who matter most, that’s going to put a big brake on how far and fast you go.

Some of the most common limiting beliefs in this paradigm are:

“My friends might not approve.”

Brave Thinking Truth: Frankly, this isn’t always wrong. If you massively level up your fitness, wealth, or professional standing, friends who aren’t interested in growing in those areas might resent it. They might change how they treat you. So the limiting belief here isn’t about whether this might happen. It’s about what it means, if it does.

This might seem cold, but the truth is, any friend who objects to your growth has no place in your life. Consider if these kinds of “friends” are truly worth shrinking yourself to keep.

“My family will reject me.”

Brave Thinking Truth: This one is trickier. The same thing holds true –– family members absolutely could change how they treat you if you do great things –– but it’s not as easy to shrug off the feelings of your parents, siblings, or spouse. Ask yourself, though: would they really reject you? How can you be sure? Is this a likely outcome, or a worst case scenario that you’re projecting without reason?

Chances are, there is a way to succeed at your dream while retaining the love and support of family.

“I might have to find new friends.”

Brave Thinking Truth: Yes! You might! If your friends are so adamantly opposed to your success that the connection doesn’t survive, you will need new friends. The question is: what means more to you? Is it building your dream? Or is it preserving your current social circle at all costs? 

There’s no right or wrong answer. But without a firm and intentional choice, you’ll always bob in the waves of indecision, never moving boldly toward your dream.

Limiting Belief Paradigm #3: Fear of The Burden of Success

Fear of failure is socially acceptable to talk about. It’s relatable. It makes sense. It even wins you points for vulnerability.

But fear of success is almost taboo. It sounds like a fake problem. On the rare occasions when it’s brought up, people often see it as a humblebrag in disguise.

In truth, though fear of success might be the most disabling kind of limiting belief that there is. 

Some of the most common limiting beliefs in this paradigm are:

“Someone might steal from me.”

Brave Thinking Truth: They might––but they also might not. And even if they do, it doesn’t automatically mean you would have been better off not creating something worth stealing. The personal growth of building a dream is something that no one can steal. In the worst case scenario, you are still a more evolved and capable version of who you were before.

“I might be criticized by others.”

Brave Thinking Truth: The limitation behind this belief is that being criticized by others is a valid reason to play it small. Consider: what does criticism really mean? If someone insults you, what actually changes about your life experience? And how might it damage your own credibility with yourself if you held back your full truth in fear of criticism?

Oftentimes, being criticized by others is actually a sign that you’ve said something significant and real!

“I have to hire a team.”

Brave Thinking Truth: It might seem like hiring and managing a team is a big chore that will distract from your mission and enjoyment of life. But what if it’s not? What if you could hire a team that was so aligned, such a great fit, that they made your life easier than it’s ever been? What if you could 10x or even 100x your impact through a team?

The fear that hiring a team could be a bad thing may be, in truth, an invitation to grow into the leader you know you’re meant to be.

“If I fail, everyone will know.”

Brave Thinking Truth: This stings. No question about it. Failing publicly is a hit to the ego and there can be some real pain associated with that. At the same time, if a public failure hurts, it’s a sign that we took a big enough swing to actually matter. It means we dared to be great!

Plus, in most cases, the pain of public failure serves as the perfect fuel for our next spectacular success.

Limiting Belief Paradigm #4: Fear of Outshining 

The fear of outshining makes us worry that if we build our biggest dreams, we’ll overshadow those who paved the way for us (such as our parents, mentors, or professional peers).

Yet, most of the time, the people we worry about possibly outshining are the ones who are cheering us on to become all that we can be. 

“My spouse’s dreams are not as big as mine.”

Brave Thinking Truth: If you’re the partner who is dreaming bigger, or more ready to expand your life, it isn’t your job to drag the other person along, kicking and screaming. That never works. It actually makes them dig in their heels and resist. The more someone else feels you need them to act, the less likely they are to change anything. Instead, inspire them by your own lived example. Live into your own dream with joy, and trust that as you move into greater aliveness, they will feel invited to join you through the ripple effect that they see it having in your life. 

Sometimes, the greatest influence is to walk in love, patience, and vision, knowing that the seeds will grow at their own pace in your partner.

“My parents and siblings will feel bad if I make more money than them.”

Brave Thinking Truth: They might––but they might also be inspired by your example, and see that they can elevate themselves in a similar way. Just because a change in your level of success might create a change in your relationships, doesn’t guarantee that those changes will be negative.

As you can see, a limiting belief is not simply a negative belief, or a negative thought. It’s any perception that keeps us where we are, because of imagined scenarios about what we might lose by winning. 

And the journey to build your dreams starts once you learn to question these beliefs instead of living by them.

If any of these beliefs felt uncomfortably familiar, you’re not alone. Most people never realize they’ve been living inside an invisible box their entire lives. But you have the power to break through—and we created a powerful (and free) resource to help you do it. Download my Stronger Than Circumstance ebook and start clearing the beliefs that have quietly run your life for too long.