It is very common for people to limit themselves and their capabilities even without knowing they are doing so. This piece will help you realize if you have unnecessary limitations in your life and how to get rid of them.
Limitations are restrictions you put in your life when you think about a certain thing or are about to do something. As human beings, WE control most of what happens in our lives, and YOU are the only one who can decide what your potential is worth. The reason people may doubt this is because we find it easier to blame others for our mistakes or bad things that happen. Realizing that we could actually be the problem and the ones holding ourselves back, may be hard to accept.
Here are some basic examples of what limitations may look like. You may be interested in learning a new language, but you decide not to because you think you are slow and will not do well. You want to get a new job and believe that the other applicants are much better than you, so you decide not to apply.
You want to get a high grade in school, but because you got one or two bad test scores, you believe that it is impossible for you to do well. You apply for a contest, but because it is international, you convince yourself that you will not win, so you do not try your best. You want to do something you are passionate about, but society has told you that you are too old or young to do it, so you do not.
You tried to do something and either got rejected or failed at it, so you conclude you can never do it. It may be a bit cliché to say, but it is going to be okay. Keep trying, and one-day things will align for you.
You may be wondering how you can spot that you have set limits on yourself. Here are some pointers:
When you stop yourself from having hope in things because you have already concluded that it will not happen for you. You simply have a negative mind-set.
When you live your life based on how other people tell you to live. They have an easy say in what you can and cannot achieve.
When you only focus on your weaknesses and give no room to grow and be proud of your strengths.
Every time you want to get or think about something, your standard is what someone else is doing, earning, or thinking. You do not have a mind of your own if you need to mention how someone else is doing in life to decide if you should do something or not.
Lastly, you are fond of settling for less than you deserve. You know in your heart that you deserve more, but you do not believe someone like you can get it.
If you relate with some or all of these points, I am here to tell you that you still have time to make things right. The best time to start trying to make a change is today. Use this as a source of motivation to push you to do what YOU want and need to do.
Here are some things you can do to get rid of these limiters:
Get out of your comfort zone. Take the risk. Playing it “safe” may be holding you back. Try new things and go to new places, you might like it.
Write a list of things you want to do and take steps to start crossing them off.
Be okay with failing sometimes. Not everything will go your way all the time. As long as you try your best and have plans to get better, that is good.
Be the ruler of your own life. Do not let someone tell you what you are capable of. They may claim to know you, but ONLY YOU truly know yourself and what you can accomplish.
Have hope, and speak and think with positivity.
Lastly, trust yourself. Trusting yourself will give you the courage to do anything you set your mind to, even if it looks impossible.
The truth is that you have so much potential, and you need to allow yourself to unlock it. Forget about what your inner voice is saying. You got this!
Stop limiting your potential. Realize that there's an unlimited amount of things you can do with your life. – Sonya Parker