{"id":2310,"date":"2025-12-19T07:17:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T03:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/?p=2310"},"modified":"2026-01-23T06:21:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T02:21:18","slug":"overcoming-limiting-beliefs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: 6 Tips for a Positive Mindset"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Limiting beliefs are the mental barriers we create\u2014often unconsciously\u2014that convince us we&#8217;re not capable, smart, or worthy enough to succeed. These beliefs shape how we interpret experiences, make decisions, and ultimately live our lives, creating self-fulfilling prophecies that keep us stuck in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that beliefs aren&#8217;t fixed. In this article, you\u2019ll discover practical techniques for overcoming limiting beliefs and aligning them with the life you want to create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-are-limiting-beliefs\" data-level=\"2\">What Are Limiting Beliefs?<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-the-three-categories-of-beliefs\" data-level=\"3\">The Three Categories of Beliefs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-to-defeat-limiting-beliefs\" data-level=\"2\">How to Defeat Limiting Beliefs<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-1-ground-yourself\" data-level=\"3\">#1: Ground Yourself<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-2-disprove-your-belief\" data-level=\"3\">#2: Disprove Your Belief<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-3-use-positive-affirmations\" data-level=\"3\">#3: Use Positive Affirmations<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-4-try-a-growth-mindset\" data-level=\"3\">#4: Try a Growth Mindset<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-5-determine-what-you-value-most\" data-level=\"3\">#5: Determine What You Value Most<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-6-change-your-beliefs-with-references-nbsp\" data-level=\"3\">#6: Change Your Beliefs With References\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-discover-more-about-overcoming-limiting-beliefs\" data-level=\"2\">Discover More About Overcoming Limiting Beliefs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-limiting-beliefs\"><strong>What Are Limiting Beliefs?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before overcoming limiting beliefs, you need to know what they are. For Tony Robbins, beliefs lead <em>from<\/em> and <em>to<\/em> your neuro-associations: <strong>Your collective pain and pleasure neuro-associations form your beliefs, which then influence your behavior, while also reinforcing those neuro-associations.<\/strong> Here\u2019s how it works, along with an example to illustrate the circular relationship between neuro-associations and beliefs, according to<em> <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/awaken-the-giant-within\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Awaken the Giant Within<\/em><\/a>:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You have an experience. For example, you take a flight during a busy holiday weekend.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You interpret that experience as painful or pleasurable. For instance, you find the large crowds and hectic atmosphere to be stressful (painful).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Per your interpretation, you form a <em>pain or pleasure association <\/em>with the experience. For instance, you associate pain with this holiday flight.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your brain looks for patterns among your painful and pleasurable experiences in order to form <em>generalizations<\/em>. These generalizations are then used as predictive shortcuts, enabling you to quickly assess whether something is likely to be painful or pleasurable. For example, your brain recalls other unpleasant instances of holiday travel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your generalizations inform <em>beliefs <\/em>about situations and events. For example, you form a belief that traveling over the holidays is always stressful.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Next time you have a similar experience, your beliefs color your <em>interpretation<\/em> of it, creating a feedback loop. For instance, next time you have to travel during the holidays, you expect it to be stressful and unpleasant\u2014and because you\u2019re expecting to be stressed, that\u2019s what you experience. Now you have another painful travel experience (called a <em>reference<\/em>, which we\u2019ll talk about next) to add to your mental library and support your belief about holiday travel.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your interpretations of experiences impact your decisions, which collectively shape your life. For example, you may avoid traveling during holidays, which brings other ripple effects. On one hand, it gives you an opportunity to establish a tradition of having quiet, restful holidays. On the other, it could prevent you from attending gatherings with friends and family.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-three-categories-of-beliefs\"><strong>The Three Categories of Beliefs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three categories of beliefs\u2014opinions, beliefs, and convictions. Each category affects your behavior in a different way:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Opinions are the weakest form of belief<\/strong>, because they\u2019re supported by temporary, changeable references. Often these references are based on impressions, like when you form an opinion about someone based on a few limited interactions\u2014as you learn more, that opinion could easily change.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Beliefs stand on stronger certainty<\/strong>, and people often have strong emotions tied to them. As previously noted, the references for beliefs may be experiences, information from others, and vivid imaginings. People are typically unwilling to entertain any information that contradicts their beliefs, but if you have a close relationship with someone, you may be able to get them to hear you out.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Convictions are the strongest beliefs<\/strong> of all because they\u2019re anchored by intense emotions. When you hold a conviction, you get angry if anyone even questions the conviction or the references upon which it stands.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two important distinctions between a conviction and a belief:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Convictions are strong enough that they motivate you to take any action to uphold them. If you\u2019re an extremist with a conviction, that could mean killing nonbelievers. If you\u2019re a determined entrepreneur with a conviction, you\u2019re willing to do anything to make your business successful. On the other hand, beliefs are motivating but they don\u2019t lead to such extreme action.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Convictions are created during and upheld by such intensely emotional experiences that you associate a threat of extreme pain with questioning or letting go of the conviction. <strong>Your certainty in that conviction becomes part of your identity, and you fear that if your conviction were to waver, then you wouldn\u2019t be you.<\/strong> This extreme unwillingness to even question your conviction is dangerous, especially if the conviction is harmful to you. By contrast, you hold your beliefs strongly but you could be influenced to change them under the right circumstances.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-defeat-limiting-beliefs\"><strong>How to Defeat Limiting Beliefs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In<em> <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-artists-way\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>The Artist\u2019s Way<\/em><\/a>, Julia Cameron says many people block themselves with limiting beliefs\u2014for example, they believe they\u2019re not good enough or are too old, or they focus on regrets or future uncertainties. <strong>Whenever you find an excuse or reason for <em>not<\/em> taking action to achieve your artistic destiny, you\u2019re engaging in some form of limiting belief<\/strong>. Let&#8217;s look at Cameron&#8217;s three pieces of advice on how to overcome limiting beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: In<a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/steal-like-an-artist\" rel=\"nofollow\"> <em>Steal Like an Artist<\/em><\/a><em>, <\/em>Austin Kleon explains that these types of limiting beliefs often stem from <em>impostor syndrome<\/em>\u2014the persistent feeling that you&#8217;re not talented enough to succeed and that acting otherwise makes you an impostor. 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.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-ground-yourself\"><strong>#1: Ground Yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First, Cameron advises that you <strong>ground yourself<\/strong>\u2014pay 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: In<a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/seeking-wisdom\" rel=\"nofollow\"> <em>Seeking Wisdom<\/em><\/a>, Cameron emphasizes this point as a staple of her six-week program for maximizing creativity. She refers to the concept\u2014paying attention to the present and appreciating life\u2014as offering \u201cprayers of gratitude\u201d 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\u2019ve experienced by writing down what happened and how it positively impacted you.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-disprove-your-belief\"><strong>#2: Disprove Your Belief<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/girl-stop-apologizing\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Girl, Stop Apologizing<\/em><\/a> by Rachel Hollis says that believing you\u2019re not capable is an excuse because the truth is, <strong>everybody struggles at the start of something new and challenging.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollis believes that to become successful in any new venture, <strong>it\u2019s not important to be naturally good<\/strong> at whatever you\u2019re doing. Rather, <strong>you must have the willingness to be <\/strong><strong><em>bad<\/em><\/strong><strong> at it for a long time<\/strong>. She stresses that expecting instant or rapid improvement is a mistake and will sabotage genuine progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollis gives a couple of reasons why <strong>not being capable \u201cyet\u201d<\/strong> <strong>doesn\u2019t matter<\/strong>. First, she points out that <strong>this<\/strong> <strong>is true with every new skill you attempt<\/strong>. For example, babies aren\u2019t born knowing how to crawl, walk, or talk. Imagine if they quit before starting, or shortly after starting. It\u2019s silly when you think of it that way, isn\u2019t it?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Second, she says <strong>not being capable \u201cyet\u201d has no bearing on what you can accomplish in the future<\/strong>. Continuing with the first example, just because a baby isn\u2019t crawling yet does not mean she will never walk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollis makes a clear distinction between making mistakes and failing. She stresses that you <em>will<\/em> make mistakes. <strong>Mistakes are inevitable and will help you develop best practices<\/strong>. She contrasts this with the idea of <strong>failure, <\/strong>which<strong> is avoidable<\/strong>. Hollis defines <strong>failure as letting mistakes scare you into not learning and continuing<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollis warns her readers to avoid the trap of unhealthy comparison. She says that <strong>if you\u2019re comparing yourself to others, it should be for the purpose of learning and not to gauge your capability for success.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollis asserts that <strong>the best way to defeat self-limiting beliefs (<\/strong><strong><em>opinions<\/em><\/strong><strong>) is to remind yourself of factual evidence to the contrary<\/strong>. Put another way, for every negative thought you have about your capabilities, refute it with indisputable facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you\u2019re inclined to tell yourself that you\u2019re not smart enough to get a college degree, remind yourself of a time when something was intellectually difficult but you made it through. Or, if you feel you\u2019re not fit enough to climb that mountain, remind yourself of a time when your body accomplished something amazing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Self-Limiting Belief: I Am Not Smart<\/strong><br><br>Hollis\u2019s most challenging self-limiting belief was that she wasn\u2019t \u201csmart enough\u201d to run a big business, mostly because she never went to college. It was such a strong belief that it almost kept her from growing her business past a small one-person blog into the large multimedia corporation it is now.&nbsp;<br><br>Author Jim Kwik says this self-limiting belief is common. He helps his readers combat the belief by teaching them how to recognize their <em>type<\/em> of intelligence and how they can use it to their advantage. For example, someone might believe that they aren\u2019t intelligent because they did poorly in school, but in reality, they have what is called \u201cpractical intelligence,\u201d also known as street smarts. This type of intelligence is no less valuable than the other types, and it can be powerful once embraced.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-use-positive-affirmations\"><strong>#3: Use Positive Affirmations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Julia Cameron recommends <strong>using positive affirmations to override your limiting beliefs<\/strong>. To do so, notice when a limiting belief crops up, create an opposing positive affirmation, and write it down 10 times in a row. For example, if you want to start a mural but notice your mind telling you \u201cyou\u2019ll never finish, you\u2019re not dedicated enough,\u201d form a positive affirmation like \u201cI\u2019m a passionate artist, and I\u2019m dedicated to completing a mural that will inspire others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: To make your affirmations even more effective,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aboutmindful.com\/blog\/writing-your-affirmations-vs-speaking-them-out-loud\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> try speaking them aloud<\/a>\u2014experts say doing so may be more useful in overcoming limiting beliefs for a few reasons. First, speaking aloud activates the pleasure center of the brain, which makes you more likely to feel calm and positive. Further, reciting affirmations aloud forms \u201cauditory links\u201d within your memory\u2014this instills the affirmation into your subconscious and makes you more likely to remember it when a relevant situation arises. So, if you regularly tell yourself aloud that you\u2019re a dedicated and inspirational artist, this belief will be more likely to arise when you create art.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-try-a-growth-mindset\"><strong>#4: Try a Growth Mindset<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/limitless\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Limitless<\/em><\/a>, Jim Kwik says that many people don\u2019t recognize their own genius and intelligence because they\u2019re locked in a <em>fixed mindset<\/em>: They believe that their mental abilities simply are what they are, and there\u2019s no way to change that. For example, someone who says he\u2019s \u201cnot good at math\u201d is in a fixed mindset: He doesn\u2019t think that it&#8217;s possible for him to become better at it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The truth is that it\u2019s always possible to improve.<\/strong> This is what\u2019s called a <em>growth mindset<\/em>: the understanding that you can develop your skills and talents. In other words, you can<strong> <\/strong>make yourself smarter with hard work and effective learning methods.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>Psychologist Carol Dweck coined the terms \u201cfixed mindset\u201d and \u201cgrowth mindset\u201d in her book, <em>Mindset.<\/em> Dweck acknowledges that people do have different innate abilities and talents; however, she adds that our minds can develop to a much greater extent than was previously believed.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br><br>Furthermore, Dweck says that a growth mindset doesn\u2019t just make you more ready and able to learn, <strong>it makes you more resilient against failures and setbacks. <\/strong>For example, if someone with a fixed mindset receives criticism at work, he would take it as a sign that he\u2019s a failure who can\u2019t do his job correctly. Someone with a growth mindset would take it as a chance to learn and improve.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to reach your limitless potential, Kwik urges you to find and reject your self-limiting beliefs. There are three steps to this process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Identify a limiting belief.<\/strong> Start looking out for times when you tell yourself that you can\u2019t do something. Look out for phrases like \u201cI can\u2019t,\u201d \u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d and \u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d Don\u2019t limit yourself in any way, even with things that you don\u2019t think are all that important.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: We may hold<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk\/blog\/2020\/03\/19\/identifying-limiting-beliefs-and-how-coaching-can-help#accept-cookies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> limiting beliefs about other people<\/a> as well as ourselves. For example, someone who grew up with abusive or absent parents might believe that other people aren\u2019t trustworthy, or that authority figures are all malicious. Such beliefs may hold us back just as much as doubts about our own abilities do.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Find the facts. <\/strong>One of the fundamental aspects of self-limiting beliefs is that, quite often, they\u2019re simply untrue. Oftentimes, what you think are facts about yourself are actually opinions\u2014and those opinions are frequently wrong. Therefore, it\u2019s crucial to ask questions that get to the truth of the matter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: One useful question to ask about your beliefs is, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/scott-mautz\/a-harvard-psychologist-shows-how-to-change-those-limiting-beliefs-you-still-have-about-yourself.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to whom?<\/a>\u201d For example, if you believe that you\u2019re not smart enough, ask whose standard of \u201cenough\u201d you\u2019re using\u2014you\u2019ll probably find that it\u2019s just your own impossible-to-meet standard, rather than objective reality.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Form a new belief. <\/strong>Now that you\u2019ve labeled your self-limiting belief and studied the truth behind it, you\u2019re ready for the most important step: replacing it with a new belief that\u2019s both more accurate and more helpful to the limitless person you\u2019re trying to become.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kwik offers one more tool you can use to overcome self-limiting beliefs: <strong>Separate your inner critic from yourself. <\/strong>Give your inner critic a persona and identity that\u2019s completely separate from you.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, find that voice inside of you that says you can\u2019t do something, or that you always screw up when it counts. Now give it a ridiculous name, and imagine it as a person with cartoonishly exaggerated features. Make fun of its negativity, and roll your eyes at the ridiculous things it tells you about yourself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In short,<strong> turn your inner critic into something that you simply <\/strong><strong><em>can\u2019t <\/em><\/strong><strong>take seriously. <\/strong>By doing so, you\u2019ll dramatically decrease its power over you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-determine-what-you-value-most\"><strong>#5: Determine What You Value Most<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tony Robbins claims in <em>Awaken the Giant Within<\/em> that values are a particularly important subset of beliefs: They\u2019re beliefs about what\u2019s right and wrong, or what\u2019s good and bad. <strong>Values are important because while other beliefs determine what you <em>can <\/em>do, your values determine what you <em>will <\/em>do.<\/strong> For example, someone who values wealth will work hard at a profitable career, while someone who values friendship will work hard at relationships instead. Someone who values joy will seek it out; someone who values health might forgo momentary joys like junk food and alcohol to stay fit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just as people have numerous beliefs, they have numerous different values. Furthermore, sometimes those values can oppose each other\u2014for instance, someone who values both honesty and self-esteem might experience some confusing feelings if someone else\u2019s honesty damages his self-esteem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>That\u2019s why Robbins suggests creating a list of values and then ranking them by importance. <\/strong>Doing so serves two purposes: First, it allows you to see what\u2019s important to you and decide what\u2019s <em>most <\/em>important. Second, if you find yourself caught between conflicting values, you\u2019ll know which one should take precedence.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, remember that it\u2019s possible to pick and choose values just like any other beliefs, so make sure that your personal values are beneficial and empowering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-align-your-beliefs-values-and-actions\"><strong>Align Your Beliefs, Values, and Actions<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Robbins says that you can achieve incredible energy and focus by overcoming self-limiting beliefs and aligning empowering beliefs and values with bold, confident action. <\/strong>He calls this <em>congruence<\/em>: a state in which you\u2019re able to bring all of your mental and physical abilities to bear on whatever task is at hand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The trick to reaching this state is making sure that all of your thoughts, desires, and actions are working toward the same objective. That\u2019s why it\u2019s crucial to take control of your mind\u2014you must make sure that you\u2019re not obstructing yourself with disempowering beliefs or conflicting values.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, someone who talks about what he \u201cwants\u201d to do, or what \u201cmight\u201d happen, is getting in his own way; he doesn\u2019t fully <em>believe <\/em>that he\u2019ll achieve his goals. Therefore, he won\u2019t be able to fully harness his energy and his conviction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-change-your-beliefs-with-references-nbsp\"><strong>#6: Change Your Beliefs With References&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At its heart, a belief is a feeling of certainty about an idea, and your certainty is based on the experiences that you\u2019ve interpreted as evidence\u2014or references\u2014to support the idea. Since, through imagination, you can find or create references to support any belief, you can turn any idea into a belief. <strong>Furthermore,<\/strong> <strong>you have the power to adopt beliefs that empower you.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Global beliefs<\/strong> are the most influential beliefs, according to Tony Robbins, because they determine how you think about life or yourself as a whole. For example, you may have a global belief that life is a struggle. <strong>Altering your global beliefs through reconditioning can transform your life<\/strong>. Think of the impact of shifting from the belief that life is full of <em>challenges<\/em> to a belief that life is full of <em>opportunities<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another type of belief, a <strong>limiting belief<\/strong>, forms when your brain oversimplifies your experiences. For example, if you\u2019ve failed at your first few attempts to launch a business, you may develop a limiting belief that you\u2019re not cut out for entrepreneurship, overlooking the fact that most entrepreneurs endure and overcome failure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To break your limiting beliefs, rely more heavily on references of <em>imagination <\/em>rather than <em>experience<\/em>. For example, as an aspiring entrepreneur, instead of focusing on your past experiences of failure, vividly envision yourself launching and growing a successful business. This will help you believe that you can do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While your <em>generalizations <\/em>about neuro-associations form your beliefs, your <em>sense of certainty <\/em>in those beliefs strengthens them. Without your certainty, a belief is merely an idea that holds little power over you. <strong>Your sense of certainty in a belief is based on the experiences that you\u2019ve interpreted as evidence\u2014or references\u2014to <\/strong><strong><em>support <\/em><\/strong><strong>the belief.<\/strong> For example, if you believe that you can do anything, your references may be your past achievements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>References hold up your beliefs because they are experiences or imaginings that serve as evidence to <em>support <\/em>your beliefs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The way in which you select, interpret, and organize your references determines whether they\u2019ll empower or disempower you. <\/strong>For example, one cancer survivor can use the painful experiences of undergoing treatment and feeling isolated from healthy family and friends as proof that life is difficult and unfair. Alternatively, another cancer survivor can draw on references of her friends\u2019 and family\u2019s love and support and her eventual remission to support the belief that life is miraculous and full of second chances.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-discover-more-about-overcoming-limiting-beliefs\"><strong>Discover More About Overcoming Limiting Beliefs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want more context to help you defeat limiting beliefs, you can check these Shortform guides below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/awaken-the-giant-within\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Awaken the Giant Within<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-artists-way\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>The Artist\u2019s Way<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/steal-like-an-artist\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Steal Like an Artist<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/seeking-wisdom\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Seeking Wisdom<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/girl-stop-apologizing\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Girl, Stop Apologizing<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/limitless\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>Limitless<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Limiting beliefs can be difficult to defeat, but not impossible. Here are tips to help you overcome limiting beliefs to improve your life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":2336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mental","category-self"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: 6 Tips for a Positive Mindset - Shortform Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Limiting beliefs can be difficult to defeat, but not impossible. Here are tips to help you overcome limiting beliefs to improve your life.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: 6 Tips for a Positive Mindset\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Limiting beliefs can be difficult to defeat, but not impossible. Here are tips to help you overcome limiting beliefs to improve your life.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Hub\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-19T03:17:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-23T02:21:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1456\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"816\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Katie Doll\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Katie Doll\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/\",\"name\":\"Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: 6 Tips for a Positive Mindset - Shortform Hub\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-19T03:17:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-23T02:21:18+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#\/schema\/person\/c3e1b539e89423b544ede91ab2bff937\"},\"description\":\"Limiting beliefs can be difficult to defeat, but not impossible. Here are tips to help you overcome limiting beliefs to improve your life.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/\"]}],\"accessibilityFeature\":[\"tableOfContents\"]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp\",\"width\":1456,\"height\":816,\"caption\":\"A man punching through a wall to overcome limiting beliefs\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Personal Life\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/category\/personal-life\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Self-Improvement\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/category\/personal-life\/self\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Overcoming Limiting Beliefs\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/\",\"name\":\"Shortform Hub\",\"description\":\"Where Meaningful Ideas Come Together\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#\/schema\/person\/c3e1b539e89423b544ede91ab2bff937\",\"name\":\"Katie Doll\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6239731a3fc739640b80be30f2b1727a055d3535d0ee4569e8282faa323e47fc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6239731a3fc739640b80be30f2b1727a055d3535d0ee4569e8282faa323e47fc?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Katie Doll\"},\"description\":\"Somehow, Katie was able to pull off her childhood dream of creating a career around books after graduating with a degree in English and a concentration in Creative Writing. Her preferred genre of books has changed drastically over the years, from fantasy\/dystopian young-adult to moving novels and non-fiction books on the human experience. Katie especially enjoys reading and writing about all things television, good and bad.\",\"knowsAbout\":[\"Bachelor of Arts in English With a Concentration in Creative Writing\"],\"jobTitle\":\"Senior SEO Writer\",\"worksFor\":\"Shortform\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/author\/katie\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: 6 Tips for a Positive Mindset - Shortform Hub","description":"Limiting beliefs can be difficult to defeat, but not impossible. Here are tips to help you overcome limiting beliefs to improve your life.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: 6 Tips for a Positive Mindset","og_description":"Limiting beliefs can be difficult to defeat, but not impossible. Here are tips to help you overcome limiting beliefs to improve your life.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Hub","article_published_time":"2025-12-19T03:17:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-23T02:21:18+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1456,"height":816,"url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Katie Doll","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Katie Doll","Est. reading time":"15 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/","name":"Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: 6 Tips for a Positive Mindset - Shortform Hub","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp","datePublished":"2025-12-19T03:17:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-23T02:21:18+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#\/schema\/person\/c3e1b539e89423b544ede91ab2bff937"},"description":"Limiting beliefs can be difficult to defeat, but not impossible. Here are tips to help you overcome limiting beliefs to improve your life.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/"]}],"accessibilityFeature":["tableOfContents"]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp","width":1456,"height":816,"caption":"A man punching through a wall to overcome limiting beliefs"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/personal-life\/self\/overcoming-limiting-beliefs\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Personal Life","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/category\/personal-life\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Self-Improvement","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/category\/personal-life\/self\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Overcoming Limiting Beliefs"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/","name":"Shortform Hub","description":"Where Meaningful Ideas Come Together","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#\/schema\/person\/c3e1b539e89423b544ede91ab2bff937","name":"Katie Doll","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6239731a3fc739640b80be30f2b1727a055d3535d0ee4569e8282faa323e47fc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6239731a3fc739640b80be30f2b1727a055d3535d0ee4569e8282faa323e47fc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Katie Doll"},"description":"Somehow, Katie was able to pull off her childhood dream of creating a career around books after graduating with a degree in English and a concentration in Creative Writing. Her preferred genre of books has changed drastically over the years, from fantasy\/dystopian young-adult to moving novels and non-fiction books on the human experience. Katie especially enjoys reading and writing about all things television, good and bad.","knowsAbout":["Bachelor of Arts in English With a Concentration in Creative Writing"],"jobTitle":"Senior SEO Writer","worksFor":"Shortform","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/author\/katie\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/man-punching-through-wall.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2310"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2419,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2310\/revisions\/2419"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}