Sometimes the biggest obstacle to our own success is us.

Not that we don’t give things a go or don’t have the talent or resources to succeed. More often than not, we do. But our brains have sneaky ways of preventing us from following our dreams—or even achieving daily goals.

The reason for this is that there are self-limiting mindsets that tell us, without us even realising, that success is out of our reach. To help set you on the right path to success, we’ve examined the three key self-limiting mindsets and ways to overcome them.

1.      You think you can’t do it.

The idea that you can’t do something comes down to limiting beliefs about yourself—that exist solely in your head. This is mainly due to the mistaken belief that only people who have the right talent or genetics can do certain things. Subsequently, your mind will see mistakes as proof that you don’t have what it takes—and convince you not to even try.

To overcome this, know that your mistakes are simply setbacks that are meant to help you learn and grow. When you foster this kind of mindset, you remember that you’re working towards a goal. You don’t have to achieve it all in one go or even on your first attempt.

2.      You think, this isn’t me.

From the moment we are born, we take various parts of people we meet to form our idea of who we are. So it is no surprise that when our identities are threatened, our ego fights back. In times of self-improvement, holding steadfast to our identities is far more important to our ego than achieving results.

To overcome this, you will need to step out of your comfort zone. For example, if you see yourself as an introvert, you might need to become more extroverted. The more you force yourself to be uncomfortable, the more comfortable you will become with the process.

3.      You feel you should, but you don’t want to.

Deep down, if you don’t really want to do something, you won’t. Or you will, but pain and inefficiency will follow. Choosing to do what you want (e.g. watch tv), versus taking a step towards achieving the thing you don’t really want (e.g. exercise regularly), will always win. This is because the urge for the second option is not strong enough.

To overcome this, ask yourself what it is you really want to accomplish—and why. Find the intrinsic reason behind the why, then use it to drive you towards your goal. Focusing on what you’re passionate about, can help push you towards success.

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