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Don’t limit yourself: It is a very powerful statement to start with. I am now connecting this back to all the wonderful experiences of failure over the last few years. Not long ago, I was wondering – maybe I have sacrificed the ability to dream a bit in the name of reality.  

At the same time, isn’t reality also a version of the truth we tell ourselves? Does it all come down to our priorities and how committed we are to them? Maybe I am getting a bit philosophical now. I can certainly relate to the central theme of this quote – limiting ourselves and the beliefs about capabilities. I would like to delve into this quote analysis in three segments:  

1. What are our limiting beliefs?  
2. How have they come by?  
3. Are they really the truth?  

Bottom line is that we cannot let these limiting beliefs shorten our abilities and reach. I can recall talking about a similar quote – we are all in the gutter but some of us are aiming at the stars. The context might have been slightly different, but the essence is about looking ahead. We can either be driven by where we are or our vision. Neither of these can be limiting beliefs if we really want to be fair to ourselves.  

“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” – Mary Kay Ash 

Don’t limit yourself: Limiting Beliefs 

What are our limiting beliefs? How did they originate and what impact do they have on our lives?  

So many questions, but the truth is – I really do not know if I want to know the answer. All I know is that I can hate these limiters with a passion because they do not let me achieve the goals I want. 

With that background – how do we start attacking these limiting beliefs?  

Where did they come from?  

Surely, they all have an origin and a story. Some of these could have been passed down to us by our culture. The others could very well be our experiences where our hands have been burnt in the past. 

For the latter, is past an indicator of the future? We talked about this in another article – Oh Yes, the past can hurt, but that’s not what it’s there for.  It is an experience – albeit painful. But that is all it is. The past is not a promise of how the future will be.  

In fact, it is all a lie we tell ourselves to prevent getting hurt. Is that more important than the actual vision for ourselves? Are our past experiences more real than the dreams that drive us?  

Is it True?  

This might be me hammering the same point, but – how true is the past or our limiters? Are they the whole truth?  

I am sure we can argue on either sides of this statement and yet result in a zero-sum game. However, the question comes down to why we are having this discussion in the first place. If it is a rationalization about our limiting beliefs, then I can find solace in it.  

But if it is an opportunity to kick back and stand strong for our own sake – the matter is entirely different. On that note, today’s inspirational thanks to the lovely quote below:  

“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” – Mary Kay Ash