Past the Limit

I recently listened to a podcast from a leader I follow and he was talking about the principle of limiting beliefs. His podcast centered on the idea of the thoughts we allow that diminish our potential. Most of our limitations begin in our minds and the things we say to ourselves which reduce our effectiveness. It may be simple things such as, “I just can’t ever get in shape.” or “There’s no way I could quit smoking,” or “I’m not a leader—no one would follow me.” These statements reflect a limiting belief we have allowed to hinder our progress and keep us from growing into new things.

I think there is a lot of validity to this theory. I have hindered my own progress sometimes just by the things I said to myself. This doesn’t mean we don’t need to take an accurate measurement of our strengths & weaknesses. I will readily admit there are things that fall outside of my natural gifting and abilities. There are also situations in which I need to overcome my own misguided thinking and take action based on possibility. It’s a careful balance of maturity to be able to accurately assess yourself while avoiding the negative self-talk which can inhibit your growth.