How To Discover How You Limit Yourself

Step 1 Of A Three Step Process To Uncover and Demolish Your Limiting Beliefs

by Jinny Ditzler


Step 1  How Do I Limit Myself? (Click here to go back to the introduction)

Do you know anyone like this?  A guy you think is really, truly great.  Lots of talent, intelligent, good-looking.  But incredibly he doesn’t produce results, doesn’t make things happen. He has lots of dreams and desires but never gets past talking about it. 

And when you ask him about it, he says something like this, “I don’t have the experience I need”  “I can’t afford it.” “I don’t know how.” --- or another flavor:  “I never seem to get the breaks.” “I haven’t got the time.”  “Face it, I’m not the kind of person to pull this off, right?”  And then he’d like you, his friend, to agree with him – to commiserate with him about his failure to make things happen.

Frustrating isn’t it?  Because from your point of view, he has what it takes. And he’s not moving forward because of all the junk he says and believes and feels about himself.  It’s annoying and, frankly, boring to see people who are gifted but not using what they have because they’re so stuck in their negative and limiting beliefs about themselves. 

I tell this story because I think it helps us see ourselves more clearly.  It’s sometimes difficult to spot how we let our minds stop us from moving ahead in life.  When we allow negative thoughts to stop us – such as the assumptions and paradigms above – they might as well be brick walls in front of us.  Start by becoming more aware of your own limiting thoughts and ideas.  What exactly do you say to yourself?  What thoughts stop you?  How are you feeling about your chances of success?

As a first step to discovering your limiting paradigms, explore the ways in which you are limiting yourself and preventing yourself from getting what you want. In the space below write your responses to the question, how do I limit myself? What is it I do, or don’t do, that holds me back?

Typical answers to these questions include such answers as, I avoid the difficult discussions, I don’t tell our people what is going on with me, I don’t do what I say I’m going to do, I don’t follow through on my plans.

Start by asking yourself how you limit yourself – what is it that you do – or don’t do – that limits your effectiveness and your ability to product the results you want and need.
Here are some examples of others’ responses to the question, How do I limit myself?

o    I don’t take time to think about what’s really important to me.
o    I’m lazy.
o    I believe what some other people say about me --- their opinion carries more weight with me than my own.
o    When I’m really attracted to someone, I don’t do anything about it.
o    I don’t stand up for myself.
o    I don’t follow through on what I say I’m going to do --- I let myself down time after time.
o    I never ask for a raise, just wait to see what they give me.
o    I spend more money than I make.

This is the first and vital step that leads to your discovery of the limiting beliefs that are leading to the actions and therefore the results you are getting.  Here is a diagram to show how it works:

Paradigm  >>> Action >>> Results

To discover the beliefs and paradigms that are currently stopping your from getting the results you want and need, you are starting to examine your limiting actions.  Once you can fully appreciate what actions you’re taking that limit the results you get, you are in a place to begin to explore the limiting beliefs that are leading you away from the results you’ve always wanted!

Click Here To Continue On To Step 2



Jinny Ditzler has been a corporate and personal development coach for 30 years and is the creator of "Best Year Yet Online"  Best Year Yet is a proven and guaranteed system that teaches you the secret to successful goal setting. When you set the right goals, and put a system around them that guarantees you follow through- your results will follow! Click here to learn more about the Best Year Yet Online System.