100 Limiting Beliefs That Are Holding You Back

Your beliefs form the foundation of your self-concept, which shapes how you see yourself and your place in the world. Every label you attach to yourself, every limitation you accept, and every expectation you set, stems from these belief systems. But what happens when those beliefs don’t align with your goals or dreams? You might feel stuck, unfulfilled, and weighed down by self-doubt.

Limiting beliefs are sneaky because they often masquerade as truths, convincing us we can’t go after what we really want. But the reality is, these are just stories we’ve been telling ourselves. It’s time to rewrite those stories.

Here are 100 common limiting beliefs that could be holding you back. Take a moment to reflect: do any of these sound familiar?

Limiting Beliefs About Self-Worth

• “I am not good enough.”
• “I don’t deserve anything good.”
• “Bad things always happen to me.”
• “I am a failure.”
• “I’m not smart enough.”
• “People won’t like the real me.”
• “I don’t deserve nice things.”
• “I’m not that pretty.”
• “I am too fat.”
• “I’m too skinny.”
• “I’m too shy.”
• “I don’t like my body.”
• “I am not attractive.”
• “I am powerless.”
• “I can’t…”
• “I’m not strong enough.”
• “I’m not important.”
• “What I want doesn’t matter.”
• “Other people’s needs are more important than mine.”
• “I can’t catch a break.”
• “People like me don’t…”
• “That’s just not me.”
• “There’s no point.”
• “I don’t know what I want.”
• “I don’t have the willpower.”
• “If I relax, everything will fall apart.”
• “People will always hurt me.”
• “I can’t trust myself.”
• “I’m not tech-savvy.”
• “I’ll look or sound stupid.”
• “I’ll never measure up.”
• “If I trust people, they will hurt me.”
• “No one will support or encourage me.”
• “One day I’ll change.”
• “My family will abandon me if I change.”
• “I’ll never be successful.”
• “Eating healthy isn’t that important.”

Expansion: Beliefs about self-worth are some of the most common obstacles people face. Feeling unworthy or inadequate can sabotage your goals before you even begin to pursue them. But remember this quote by Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” The key to breaking these beliefs is understanding that you are already worthy, just as you are.

Limiting Beliefs About Success

• “Life is not fair.”
• “Nobody is interested in my ideas.”
• “I’ll never pay off all these student loans.”
• “If I succeed, I won’t be able to sustain it.”
• “I don’t have the skills.”
• “They’ll never hire someone like me.”
• “I’m not going to be successful, so there’s no point in trying.”
• “People won’t take me seriously because I’m [insert limiting factor].”
• “I don’t feel like I can give enough value.”
• “I’ve tried before and failed, so I’ll fail again.”
• “I don’t have enough money.”
• “I don’t have enough support.”
• “I don’t have the right connections.”
• “I’ll always be broke.”
• “Getting my hopes up leads to disappointment.”
• “There’s too much competition.”
• “Money is evil.”
• “Rich people are greedy.”
• “I’m not good with money.”
• “I don’t have enough experience.”
• “Life is hard.”
• “I’m not creative.”
• “I’m not original enough.”
• “I’m sure someone thought of this before.”
• “I’m a procrastinator.”
• “My idea is too weird.”
• “I can’t see that many patients per day.”
• “I’m just a general practitioner.”
• “Making lots of money requires sacrificing who you are.”
• “Private practice is too hard.”
• “I have bad luck.”
• “If I get too happy or successful, something bad will happen.”

Expansion: Beliefs about success often stem from fear of the unknown or a history of failures. It’s easy to believe that the road to success is meant for someone else. But as Maya Angelou once said, “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” Success begins with how you define it for yourself—not by anyone else’s standards.

Limiting Beliefs About Health

• “I can’t lose weight.”
• “I always get sick.”
• “This runs in my family.”
• “I don’t deserve to be healthy.”
• “I’m not an athlete.”
• “I don’t like to exercise.”
• “I don’t like vegetables.”
• “I don’t have time to exercise.”
• “I can’t stop eating [unhealthy food].”
• “I need my [latte, sweets, comfort food].”
• “I’m too far gone to start now.”

Expansion: Health-related limiting beliefs often stop people from making meaningful changes. If you believe you’re incapable of change, you’ll never make the effort. Remember, health is a journey, not a destination. As Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” It’s never too late to take small steps toward better health.

Limiting Beliefs About Relationships

• “When someone else changes, I’ll be happy.”
• “All the good ones are taken.”
• “I suck at relationships.”
• “I’m not lovable.”
• “I better not express my feelings if I want to be accepted.”
• “I need to be quiet to survive.”
• “I need someone to complete me.”
• “My family doesn’t understand me.”
• “Something is wrong with me.”
• “I need someone to take care of me.”
• “No one will ever love me.”
• “Letting others get close leads to pain.”
• “Being honest leads to rejection.”

Expansion: Limiting beliefs about relationships can keep us from finding true connection and love. We often convince ourselves that we’re not worthy of healthy, supportive relationships. But, as Brené Brown says, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity.” By opening up and challenging these beliefs, we create space for deeper, more meaningful connections.

Rewriting Your Beliefs

Identifying limiting beliefs is the first step to overcoming them. Once you recognize the beliefs holding you back, the next step is to replace them with empowering ones.

• Instead of “I’m not good enough,” try “I am worthy of success and love.”
• Instead of “I can’t lose weight,” try “I can improve my health with small, consistent changes.”
• Instead of “I’m a failure,” try “I learn and grow with every setback.”

As Tony Robbins says, “The only thing that’s keeping you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself.” You have the power to rewrite that story!

Call to Action: Break Free from Limiting Beliefs

Are your beliefs holding you back from living the life you truly want? It’s time to take action! Join our CEO of YOU® coaching program and learn how to rewrite your belief systems, empower yourself, and start living a life of fulfillment, happiness, and success.

Click HERE to get started and break free from the limitations holding you back!