Beliefs, Values and Limiting Beliefs

Knowing the difference between values and beliefs is essential to our personal growth. Both influence us in invisible ways. When we understand both, we can choose whether we accept the beliefs prescribed to us, or if our personal values align with our environment.

Beliefs

Beliefs are things that we believe to be true, regardless of any evidence. They’re the assumptions we make about ourselves and our environment. They influence our thoughts, behaviours, and attitudes in significant ways. We often make these assumptions based on what we see, hear, read, and experience growing up.

Values

Our core values dictate how we judge what we consider to be ‘good’ or ‘bad’. They’re unwritten rules that set the standards of behaviour in our daily life. Everyone has their own core values.

We learn values through a combination of our background, our family, our experiences, and our sense of self. When we become aware of our values, we can start to align them to all areas of our life and reduce inner conflict.

Limiting Beliefs

Self-limiting beliefs are a little-discussed topic yet are one of the main factors that prevent individuals from achieving their goals and reaching their full potential.

A self-limiting belief is a core negative opinion that a person holds about her or himself. This self-defeating thought is often expressed in a statement such as “I don’t have enough time,” “I can’t do this,” and “I don’t have enough experience.”   

All self-limiting beliefs have something in common, the underlying, unconscious notion that “I’m not good enough.” While the belief is not a conscious one, it impacts our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours and hinders our effectiveness.

Examples of common limiting beliefs

Maybe you’ve heard this type of comment from a friend or colleague. Maybe you’ve thought it or said it yourself. Limiting beliefs can hold us back from trying new things or undermine our efforts to achieve our goals.

Making beliefs and values work for us

Limiting beliefs can form as part of anyone’s natural development from childhood, through young adulthood and beyond. learn to treat others in a certain way. We might have unknowingly adopted or inherited other people’s values and been encouraged to follow a certain path or avoid others and live a certain lifestyle.

Unfortunately, as we go through life, we might also pick up limiting beliefs about ourselves. We think we’re not good enough, incapable, or lack belief. But we don’t have to accept these thoughts.

I specialise in identifying and removing self-limiting beliefs and other unconscious behaviour as part of my coaching programmes. I work with individuals on a personal and professional level to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and negative behaviour patterns.

Are you ready to invest in yourself?