Limiting Belief
Are you familiar with the concept of "limiting beliefs"? These are the beliefs we harbor that constrain our potential in life. They're the narratives we repeatedly tell ourselves, keeping us snugly ensconced within our supposed "comfort zone"—even if it's far from comfortable.
For instance, have you ever caught yourself saying, "I'm just not lucky," or "I'm not cut out for public speaking," "I'm either too old or too young to (fill in the blank)?
If you stop and really look at this self-talk, take a minute to reflect about whether these beliefs are grounded in truth or are they made up stories you have convinced yourself are true. If you act as if these beliefs are immutable truths, that is a limited belief. Often, these limiting beliefs stem from a solitary event in our past that led us to adopt a negative perception of ourselves and our capabilities.
Our brains, in their peculiar way, once embracing a limiting belief, actively seek out evidence to affirm it, thereby reinforcing our conviction in its truth.
Take, for instance, my belief that I was never going to be a lawyer. I firmly believed that I had made a big mistake by not going to law school immediately after college. I had taken the LSAT but then felt intimidated by the prospect of law school. I didn’t think I was smart enough. I had a mediocre undergraduate GPA. For a decade, I still thought about law school. But by that time I was in my late 30’s, I was a single mother with a toddler. I had convinced myself that it was too late for me to start a new career. I felt trapped because I really had a deep desire to go to law school but I was convinced it would take me too long to go to law school and build a law practice. And how would I do it with a toddler? I thought I should stick with what I know.
Had I not unearthed the concept of limiting beliefs and rigorously interrogated this belief, I might have allowed this entrenched self-perception to deter me from going to law school even though it had been a lifelong dream.
So, I took a long, hard look at this belief—scrutinizing it and challenging its veracity. Was it genuinely true that I too old to go to law school? What evidence supported this belief?
In truth, I had consistently excelled in all my careers throughout my professional journey. I had changed careers several times successfully. I had done interior design, sales, strategy and business development, and healthcare administration before law school. I knew I was smart, adaptive and creative. And extremely tenacious. I visited the school and talked to the professors and admissions dean about the type of students they admitted. I learned that there were MANY older non-traditional students and a club for parents attending law school. Confronted with these facts, it became increasingly difficult to cling to the notion that "It is too late for law school" especially after grasping the concept of limiting beliefs. I finished law school when my son was four years old and have had a successful career as a partner in a Big Law firm and several in-house counsel roles with large healthcare entities. My prior experience in healthcare administration has set me apart from other lawyers and helped me to build a successful niche and career.
What we hold to be true in our lives can either confine us or unveil the boundless possibilities life has in store. I want you to embrace the latter and live your best life! Here's the crux— I wholeheartedly believe that you possess the capability to accomplish anything you set your mind to. And deep down, I sense you share that belief too. So, can we collectively adopt that belief going forward?
