Beliefs

There’s something to be said in life about the dangers of limiting beliefs. Those beliefs can come from your own mind or others, but we’re all familiar with them in one way or another. That voice—or person—that says “don’t do that” and keeps us from following through with what’s in our heart. The friend who looks down on you for hanging out with a certain person, or your fear of eating at a restaurant alone. What’s in your heart is irrelevant. What matters is knowing how to eschew the limits imposed on you by yourself and others.

The trick to removing limiting beliefs is to realize that they’re just a form of opinion. One way of looking at a situation. Just because someone thinks something or you think something doesn’t automatically make it the truth. Even if several people share an opinion, it’s still not the final word. A favorite quote that articulates this well comes from Marcus Aurelius: “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”

Another piece in all of this is accepting that you may not get what you want. A limiting belief may not be right, but deciding to go in the opposite direction may not be either. When you decide to go against whatever is holding you back, you’re responsible for whatever may come. In most situations this isn’t too dire, but remember that there’s always a chance for things to not work out in your favor. This shouldn’t frighten you, though. If something is in your heart, there’s likely a good reason for it.

Don’t hold back. Talk to the person you find interesting. Go to the places you want to see. Be ready for what may come, but don’t let uncertainty—whether from yourself or others—stop you. Another quote by Ray Dalio that I keep in mind when debating whether or not to go forward with something: “the quality of our lives depends on the quality of the decisions we make.” If you feel that what’s in your heart will improve the quality of your life, don’t be afraid to go for it. You never know if you don’t try.