A person jumping over a hurdle to overcome limiting beliefs.

This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.

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Are you your own worst enemy? Do you tend to make excuses for why you’re not pursuing your dreams?

In her book The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron shares practical advice on how to overcome limiting beliefs: ground yourself, disprove your belief, and use positive affirmations. Although her book is aimed at artists, her advice on this topic can apply to anyone.

Keep reading to get the details on Cameron’s advice.

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

Cameron says many artists block themselves with limiting beliefs—for example, they believe they’re not good enough or are too old, or they focus on regrets or future uncertainties. Whenever you find an excuse or reason for not taking action to achieve your artistic destiny, you’re engaging in some form of limiting belief. Let’s look at Cameron’s three pieces of advice on how to overcome limiting beliefs.

(Shortform note: In Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon explains that these types of limiting beliefs often stem from imposter syndrome—the persistent feeling that you’re not talented enough to succeed and that acting otherwise makes you an imposter. Kleon says that one way to overcome this and start creating art is to recreate the work of artists you admire. This will help you learn and understand their techniques so you can apply them to your own work.)

#1: Ground Yourself

First, Cameron advises that you ground yourself—pay attention to the beauty of your surroundings, the present moment, and what you can be grateful for. Grounding yourself will help you avoid giving attention to thoughts about the past or future that may discourage you from taking positive action.

(Shortform note: In Seeking Wisdom, Cameron emphasizes this point as a staple of her six-week program for maximizing creativity. She refers to the concept—paying attention to the present and appreciating life—as offering “prayers of gratitude” to your God concept (the creative force). To do so, she recommends initially paying attention to and being grateful for the beauty of nature and your environment. Then, get more specific and express gratitude for the people in your life by writing them letters of thanks. Finally, express gratitude for any life-changing events and synchronicities you’ve experienced by writing down what happened and how it positively impacted you.)

How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs: 3 Tips From Julia Cameron

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Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" at Shortform.

Here's what you'll find in our full The Artist's Way summary:

  • How you can overcome obstacles and blocks to reach your creative potential
  • An overview of Julia Cameron's 12-week program on accessing the creative force
  • Why many artists fall into addictions and how to resist them

Elizabeth Whitworth

Elizabeth has a lifelong love of books. She devours nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, theology, and philosophy. A switch to audiobooks has kindled her enjoyment of well-narrated fiction, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century works. She appreciates idea-driven books—and a classic murder mystery now and then. Elizabeth has a Substack and is writing a book about what the Bible says about death and hell.

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