3 Concepts Which Will Eliminate Self-Limiting Beliefs

‘I just can’t do that’

‘It’s just not meant for me’

‘It’s impossible!’

I bet you’ve said one of the above at some point in your life. Don’t worry, I have too – a lot… ‘but it’s understandable, right?’ you may say; ‘some goals are so unrealistic for someone that there is no point even trying!’ I used to think this too until I realised 3 underlying concepts which made me realise that seemingly impossible goals are in fact very much achievable – by you.

Before we start I want you to do something: write down one goal that you dream to achieve – it could be to lose weight, to start your own business, or even to be a millionaire.

Now write down 20 reasons why you won’t achieve this.

You may be wondering why I’m asking you to do this – surely this is just counterproductive? Not quite; the first step to progression is to be honest and truthful with yourself – embracing your negativity is the first step to stop it from defining you.

Okay, now we can get to it.

1) We are not as unique as we think

Okay I am lying – we are unique; some people are tall, others are short; some people love meat whilst others are vegetarian – every single human being is different in their own special and wonderful way.

That being said, can some humans fly like an eagle whilst others can’t? No.

‘Mike, what has that got to do with anything!?’

Good question – it shows that although relative to each other we may be completely different to each other, on an absolute scale i.e. in comparison to everything else, we are individually not to different from each other – this is excellent news. Why? Because it means that both You, Mark Zucherberg, Richard Branson, and Steve Jobs all poo’d your pants when you were babies – if they went on to achieve amazing things why can’t you?

We all hold very similar fundamental skill sets, both physically, mentally, and emotionally. The way these qualities get nurtured over time define who we are and what we go on to achieve – you already have these tools; learn how to use them and there is nothing stopping you from achieving greatness.

2) It still is relative

Here is a little maths challenge for you: I have 3 apples. I buy another 4 apples, and then my friend doubles all the apples I have. How many apples do I have?

If your answer is 14, well done! You were able to perform a relatively simple maths equation – now imagine I asked that to a 5 year old… do you think they’ll be able to do it? I bet they’ll say that’s impossible!

If I were to ask you to make £100,000 from £100 you’re likely going to find it a lot harder than if I were to tell a millionaire to make £100,000 – not only is this due to the millionaire having to make a significantly lower return (10% to 1000%), but also due to the fact that the millionaire has significantly fewer mental barriers too – he’s already done it before; he will see no reason why he cannot do it again.

This is why it is important to realise the importance of relativity and the exponential effect it has – instead of trying to turn £1 into £256, try turning it into £2 first – that’s definitely feasible.

With this £2 you can then turn it into £4, then to 8,16,32,64,128 and then £256; instead of trying to increase your income 256 times you only need to double it 8 times… notice the huge psychological difference that makes?

Similar to how we technically know everyone in the world through just 7 contacts, even the most seemingly impossible goals are a lot closer than you think.

3) Consistency leads to incredible things

Consistency is the catalyst for exponential success.

2 years ago I got in to weight lifting. My goal was to bench 100kg (225lb). At the time I could just about struggle at 60kg for 1…

Instead of letting myself get demotivated I told myself to just get in the gym each day and just do what I could. I would aim to bench 62.5kg, and then when I got comfortable with that I moved to 65kg and so on.

I had that 100kg dream goal at the back of my mind but I made sure it stayed there as constantly thinking about it would only demotivated me – instead I focused on what I could achieve right now relative to me.

Within a year I ended up benching 100kg and it was one of the best feelings I have ever had; not because I could bench 100kg, but because I was able to break down such a daunting goal and tackle it day by day to achieve it.

Seemingly insignificant daily practices done consistently lead to amazing measurable success – consistency is honestly the story of my life and it is how I am where I am today in terms of academics, fitness, mental health, as well as my entrepreneurial journey.
Walking a marathon truly is better than sprinting half way. Even the tiniest of steps makes a huge difference – you just will not realise it on a daily basis.
If you keep putting one step in front of the next each day you will see incredible progress in the long-term – be patient and consistent and the rewards will come.

Closing thoughts

You already have all the necessary tools to unleash your potential. As long as you focus on being a better version of yourself each day, just by a tiny little, not only will you feel like you are making progress, but will realise that you are well and truly capable of turning your dreams into reality.

-Mike