Your thoughts are one of the most important aspects of creating success in your life. Your mindset affects what you believe, and that will have an impact on the action you take towards creating success. A “successful life” will have a different meaning for every person reading this, but you know what it means for your life. For 12 years, I lived a life that could best be described as “existing.” I was 170 pounds overweight, worked a job I hated, and lived in a place I dreamed of leaving every day. I listened to my doubt and fear and let them give my self-limiting beliefs fuel.
The only way I was able to take the first steps towards change was to get honest about my self-limiting beliefs. I don’t know where you are in your life in relation to the things you want to accomplish and the life you want to live. Get honest about whether or not these self-limiting beliefs are keeping you from success.
1. I’m not filthy rich. – You don’t have to be a millionaire to create success in your life. Today, we have access to information and technology in an unprecedented way. You can create your dream on the side using the access you have and build wealth. Don’t wait until you have “money” to take action.
2. I’m not strong enough. – You may not be as strong as someone you know or look up to, but you don’t have to be. Deep inside you is a strength that can help you overcome even the most difficult situations—you just have to find a way to tap into it.
3. I don’t have enough knowledge. – You might not be the smartest person in the world, but you don’t have to be to create success in your life. If you are willing to learn and become a student of life, you are smart enough. Use the Internet to study what you don’t understand and become an expert at what you want to do.
4. I don’t have someone else’s story. – We all love to read and get inspired by the rags to riches stories. That might not be your story and you don’t need it to be. This has to be a personal journey that’s unique to you.
5. I have a history of failure. – You can view failure two ways: As something negative or as a way to learn. Everyone fails, even some of the most successful people who we consider heroes. Those who reach success in their life view failure as motivation and a way to grow as a person.
6. Making significant life changes is too hard. – Life, in general, is hard. Accepting that is the first step in taking action anyways. Yes, it will be hard to change major areas of your life, but “hard” doesn’t have to mean impossible. Tap into your inner strength and face hard challenges head-on.
7. I have more time. – The one thing each of us is guaranteed is that we all will die, and no one knows when that is. I hope everyone who reads this lives a long and happy life, but we just don’t know. Don’t put off the changes you want to make for another day. Time is precious and limited. Use every day and minute creating success in your life.
How does the story end? In a four-year period, I lost 170 pounds through creating healthy habits. I quit that job I hated and now write, speak all over the world, coach dreamers, and consult some amazing companies. I moved my family from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to our dream destination of Maui, Hawaii. I made radical changes in my life when I beat my self-limiting beliefs.
I didn’t win the lottery. I didn’t get any lucky breaks. I changed my life when I changed my mindset and took action. I created success in my life when I stopped making excuses and believing what society said was possible in my life. You can do the same.
It will be hard, and you will experience failure, but that failure doesn’t have to be the end of your story. You can use failure as invaluable life experience. You can overcome it and keep taking action despite it. Change your thoughts and you can start the process of changing your life. Don’t let self-limiting beliefs keep you from living the amazing life you truly deserve.
