Limiting Beliefs of CEOs & What to Do About Them

Pretty Caucasian woman at the beach smiling at camera.

You are the only thing standing between you and your success.

This oft-cited aphorism makes a great meme for an IG feed. Add a photo of a sunrise and a series of strategically placed hashtags and you’re good to go. But what does it actually mean? Why do we bust our butts, day in and day out, and not get where we want to be?

 At an early age, we develop beliefs about ourselves, our lives, and life in general. These beliefs are the result of explicit experiences and implicit absorption of cues from our family, school, and the world at large. These ideas sometimes show up as (for example): the thinner the prettier, more is better, or pink is for girls and blue is for boys. These beliefs make their way into our subconsciousness so stealthily we rarely recognize them as separate from us. We accept them as truth.

When we believe deeply that "thinner is prettier” based on messages we received as children, this insidious thought pattern can lead to an adult struggling with body image issues or an eating disorder. We can actually believe that cool things, money, and titles are better… which often leads us to neglect our relationships and live our lives in debt. What if a little boy who loves pink starts to internalize shame or self-doubt? It happens all the time.


 The answer: it’s not you...it’s your thoughts. 


Let’s look at your beliefs. The first step in creating new beliefs is to consciously identify the old ones. Come up with a list of 10 beliefs that keep you from going after what you really want. To pinpoint these, pay attention to dreams and your fears. “I can’t go after that because I’m not attractive enough”… “I can’t achieve that because I don’t have enough education”… “I’ll never have enough money because I came from poverty”...

These beliefs need not be a You problem, or at least not a YOU ALONE problem. I've yet to meet a person who doesn’t have a complex matrix of these bad boys. The work of shedding these beliefs is your work to do, and you need not do it by yourself. When you’re ready to break free of yours, call me. You can create healthy beliefs that support your goals and give you the life of your dreams, and I would love to be part of your success.

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Integrity is as Integrity Does - Keeping Your Soul in Tact as a CEO

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Killer Instincts in Life and Leadership