3/31/2007

Limiting Beliefs - The Greatest Enemy of Success

Inside each of us is a Giant. A giant who has the power, the ability, the authority and the belief to create anything we choose in our lives. But, not everyone has found the giant or even realized that it is there. Why are so many people simply settling for what life has dished out, zombies going from day to day, giving up control to others and just accepting what they get?

When you realize the power within, you will never just accept where you are. With this power, you do not buy into the limiting belief of playing life small, a symptom of the limiting beliefs you are harboring inside. Allowing your limiting beliefs to control your outcome in life, totally controlling what you do, who you are and what you have in life.

We have all been taught from a very young age that our lives are limited to what we are given, that based on luck, education or whatever might limit people from stepping up and playing big. Life and what you get out of life has nothing to do with any of these things. Life is only about what you create for yourself. We talk about "taking the bull by the horns", but do we actually do it? Do we take control and design and live our lives for ourselves and our families, or do we just make the best of what we are handed?

Playing small or living with limiting beliefs is based on a decision you made at some point in your life. Probably many years ago you wanted to be something great, or do something great or had visions and dreams of something truly phenomenal. But other people in your life, your parents, friends, teachers, professors or maybe the movies and the news media convinced you to believe the lie that you could not accomplish those things. The lie that these things you dream of are not for everyone on earth, especially you. This lie has created a victim mentality that is controling our society today.

The great inventions of the world, the great writings of history and the amazing leaders did not just happen. They happened because people had dreams and accepted their power to create their greatness and the things they envisioned. They did not limit themselves to what others thought. If that had been the case, we would not have electricity, air travel, telephones or any other wonderful convenience we have today. These people did not accept what they were told by others, they created their lives and their results.

Personally, when I spoke to my parents about dreams, they would say to me "Who do you think you are, people in our family don't do or have things like that", or "Life is hard, you just have to take what you get and deal with it" or my favorite, "don't be silly, be tough and you will look back years from now and laugh". Well, I did look back years later, and I didn't laugh, I was appalled at where I was, and where I wasn't. Sure, I had a "good job", a nice home, a wonderful husband and family, but I had no control over my life or the direction of my family. I had played life small and realized that it was time to play it big!

So how do you know if you are playing small or playing big? If you are not in total control of your life, then you are playing small. If you do not control your own schedule, your own income, your own results or most important, if you are not working toward accomplishing 101 things you want to do on this earth, then you are playing life small. Playing small is simply a byproduct of your limiting beliefs.

Playing big, means you step up and take responsibility and claim the power you have to create the life you choose and the results you choose. The giant is there, just waiting to be released.

Life really is as easy as you thought it was when you were a kid. Simply step up and claim the life you desire. But remember this.... If you only "want" something, you will always just "want". Action is the only thing that will make it happen for you.

If you are looking to change your direction, it does require stepping out of your comfort zone. Get into a strong personal development program, find a good goals mentor and just watch what happens in your life. To have something you have never had, you must do something you have never done.