9 Self-Imposed Limitations That Stop You From Succeeding

Some say that one of the most severe human limitations lie within humans themselves. It goes without saying that we all have fictional ideas of who we are that may limit what we can achieve in life.

That’s why the first step in removing the self-imposed limits that stop you from succeeding is recognizing that you can achieve whatever you want to achieve, you just have to look into yourself and be true to who you really are.

9 Self-Imposed Limitations

Here are 9 self-imposed limitations that stop people from succeeding together with tips on how to deal with them.

1. You’re afraid of leaving your comfort zone

Many people don’t allow themselves to be successful because they simply prefer to play it small. They like their comfort zone and don’t want to risk leaving it. But succeeding is all about taking that risk and reaching out for more. People who are successful usually work hard to maximize their potential and achieve their goals.

These people usually believe in themselves and their vision for success. They can overcome failures and setbacks, all the while holding firm to their vision. They’re not afraid to take a step outside of their comfort zone. In fact, they are ready to leave it altogether if they feel that is what it takes for them to succeed. Your mindset and limiting beliefs you hold might be responsible for your lack of success. That’s why the first step is changing your mind about that.

2. You don’t have a success consciousness

Your core beliefs create a specific reality, and by reinforcing these beliefs you might feel unworthy of success. Do you often think that you’re not good enough? Your low self-confidence probably derives from these ideas about yourself.

To overcome them, you need to take action and move toward success, all the while reshaping your mental landscape. Be attentive to what passes through your mind, pay close attention to your reactions, otherwise, you will be paralyzed by disempowering thoughts related to your worthiness to attain success.

You need to develop a success consciousness before succeeding. To do that, remove the self-imposed limitations that keep you safe in your comfort zone. You are worthy of success, whatever it means to you, so stop looking for permission to leap into it. You’re ready, so start changing your mindset right now.

3. You haven’t found your authentic self

Another useful exercise to help you remove self-imposed limitations is finding your authentic self instead of sticking to a self you created for others. To do that, dig into your memory to the point in your life where you felt the happiest and most inspired.

Spend some time in quiet reflection to figure out what exactly is limiting you from feeling empowered and peaceful. When we are stressed, there are a million thoughts passing through our minds, and it is hard to find the time to reflect on things like that. In fact, the best ideas sprout in still and quiet places that allow reflective thinking.

4. You forgot how much hard work it takes to succeed

Once you find your authentic self and design how you want to be, be prepared for plenty of hard work. Practice is the only road to mastery. The prospect of hard work may be scary and daunting – in fact, many see it as a severe limitation. But if your willpower stems from your authentic self, you will find the energy to endure the training.

Otherwise, a million other limitations will pop up all over the place to discourage you from getting where you want. Intrinsic motivation is the single most potent motivational factor that drives people to achieve success, but the awareness that hard work follows is an important point too.

5. You focus on failures

Many people waste time wondering why they haven’t achieved the success they feel they deserve. Most of the time, the fault is entirely theirs. Instead of looking toward the future, they spend their precious time focusing on their failures and setbacks. How are they supposed to spot the signposts leading to success?

If you’re having trouble leaving your failures behind, consider this: Success requires failure. In fact, failure is a milestone on the path to success. Failing doesn’t mean that you are unable to succeed. It just means that you will not succeed every single time you try. But thanks to failures, you can adjust your attitude and learn new skills to leave the doors open for success.

Expect setbacks on your way to success, but don’t let them stop you. Rather, allow these failures to test you. You will see how much you want success and how strong your vision is. Everyone deserves success, so declare your goal and commit to it. It’s perseverance, diligence, and commitment that make the trademarks of success.

6. You’re not sure of what you want

Don’t waste time sitting on the sidelines and waiting for an opportunity to fall from the skies for you. Decide on what you want and be sure also to understand why you want it. How much will you be willing to trade to gain something greater? When you know what you want, that equation stops being a limitation and becomes quite simple to solve. By pursuing a direction that you’re passionate about, you’ll also avoid the risk of a burnout.

7. Your bar is set too low

If you are the source of your most pressing limitations, try setting the bar higher to motivate yourself and reach out for more. Even if you don’t accomplish your exact goal, you will feel motivated enough to come closer to the objective.

As a result, you will surpass your previous expectations and positively surprise yourself about your capacity for success. So, don’t be afraid to set a higher bar, that is how you remove one serious limitation from your life that keeps you from succeeding.

8. You use negative language

The language you use to talk and think about yourself plays a crucial role in your ability to accomplish your goals. Using expressions like ‘I could never’ or ‘This is impossible,’ you are in fact using the language of limitation.

It doesn’t make sense to designate fixed meanings to things that are in constant flux. Keep a close eye on the language you use to describe your vision and goals. You might be preventing yourself from succeeding already at the point of defining yourself in action.

9. You surround yourself with wrong people

Finally, remember that you become the sum of people you hang out with. That’s why you should always try to surround yourself with people who are more dedicated, more hard-working, and more successful than you. These people will inspire you to improve. If the company you keep feels inferior to you, you can be sure to derive no motivation to grow from them and quickly reach a plateau in your personal development.

As a result, you will also set lower objectives for yourself and sooner or later find yourself limited. Being the biggest fish in the smallest pond doesn’t work in your favor in the long run, that’s why you need to surround yourself with people who challenge you, motivate you, and provide that extra push for you to become better. You can be sure to become more focused on keeping up with them than paying attention to your limitations.

Conclusion

Use these 9 tips and you will be on your way to beating your limitations to the ground and setting yourself on the path to success.

About the author: Sienna Walker is an avid career and education blogger and a huge fan of self-improvement. Currently writing for DirectorStats, Sienna can often be found online sharing her thoughts and strategies with those who want to become better.