As someone who helps people reach goals, I've seen a lot of excuses derail a lot of goals and dreams.
But what if those excuses are tied to something deeper...something like a limiting belief?
A limiting belief is a thought that you've held on to over time that is keeping you from growing.
We all have them, but uncovering yours is the key to finding your greatest potential.
Here are five of the most common limiting beliefs that I have encountered in my work. Maybe you'll see yourself in one (or more) of them. If you do, know that you are in good company!
#1: I'm Not Good/Smart/Experienced Enough
Imposter syndrome is where I see goal-getters struggle the most. We are great at setting goals, but when the work becomes uncomfortable, we begin to blame ourselves for a perceived personal flaw.
Not feeling worthy enough, smart enough, good enough, experienced enough, or (fill-in-the-blank) enough is an excuse that leads to self-sabotage, and unhealthy comparisons.
Become aware of those times when you are comparing yourself with someone else, especially if that person is ahead of you in experience. Comparing your chapter one to someone else's chapter ten is a recipe for disaster.
Remember -- The only person you’re competing today with is the person you were yesterday.
#2: I Don't Have Enough...(Time/Money/Support/Resources, etc.)
How many times do you catch yourself saying “I don’t have enough ___”?
The truth is that it's not about not having enough. It's about prioritizing what we do with what we have.
Spending two hours watching Netflix on the sofa and then saying that you don't have time for networking is a mixup of priorities if you are using "I don't have time to network" as an excuse to not network.
Scarcity mindset like this is a justification that just won’t work if you want to achieve your goals.
#3: It's Not Perfect Yet
Perfectionism often leads to procrastination because we keep putting off starting out of fear that we won't do it right.
We may delay pressing 'publish' or sharing our work out of fear that others might judge us as being less than perfect.
Seth Godin says that perfectionism is a form of hiding and I agree!
Choosing to wait until you have the perfect plan or the perfect product leads to missed opportunities and broken dreams.
Nothing has to be perfect. Remember, that’s why pencils have erasers!
#4: I Don't Know How
I see many goal-setters struggle with becoming goal-getters because they rely on the limiting belief that they don't know how to make their goals happen.
Making the goal is the fun part. Bringing the goal to fruition is the work that is often uncomfortable.
Don't make the mistake in thinking that you have to know the whole route before you begin your journey. Take the first step and see where it takes you. The next step will always appear.
Don't know where to begin? Ask my friend Google. She knows EVERYTHING!
#5: I'm Too Old
There is no expiration date on what you are capable of achieving, other than death.
"I'm too old" is a popular limiting belief and excuse that keeps people from leaving their Comfort Cave. Thinking that you are running out of time is a waste of time.
There are plenty of 70- and 80-somethings out there doing amazing things. I plan to be one of them someday. Join me!
Thoughts Are Not Facts
Once you find your limiting beliefs, what do you do with them?
Stop believing they are true.
Thoughts, by the very nature that they came from your mind, are subjective. They are yours and yours alone. You may think that you are not smart enough, but I disagree. You may think that you're not ready, but I can give you five reasons why you are.
It's time to stop letting your limiting beliefs stop you from doing what you were put there to do.
Prove yourself wrong, my friend. Re-write those beliefs into powerful statements of what you're capable of!
The first step is just to begin. The rest will follow.
Jen Laffin is an Accountability & Success Mentor for people who like to meet their goals, a master teacher, host of The Flight School Podcast, a possible thinker, and a recovering procrastinator. She helps goal-SETTERS become goal-GETTERS. To learn more, visit www.jenlaffin.com, or find Jen on Linkedin.