You know what you want to do. You can see it clearly in your mind. Maybe it's starting that business, having that difficult conversation, or putting yourself out there in a new way. But when it comes time to actually do it, something stops you. You find excuses, you procrastinate, or you feel that familiar knot of anxiety in your stomach.

What's really going on here? You're running into your limiting beliefs.

What Are Limiting Beliefs?

Limiting beliefs are any belief that gets in the way of you doing what you want to do in your life. And what makes it a belief is that it's a statement about reality that you respond to as if it were true.

For example, I worked with a client who was very successful and intellectually knew that he was good enough. But whenever he started down a new path in life—somewhere he didn't already have proof that he could succeed—he would feel nervous, worried, and afraid. Why? Because deep down, he was worried that if he failed this time, it would show that he really wasn't good enough after all.

This is how limiting beliefs work. They operate beneath the surface, driving behaviors that don't make logical sense.

How Do You Find Your Limiting Beliefs?

So how do you uncover these hidden beliefs that are running your life? Here's a three-step process:

Step 1: Identify the behavior you want to change.

Start by getting clear on what's not working. Maybe there are actions you want to take that you're not taking. Or maybe there's something you keep doing over and over again that you know isn't useful for your life. Get specific about the pattern.

Step 2: Use thought discovery.

Imagine yourself in that situation once again—but this time in the future. Really feel into it. Put yourself there mentally and notice what comes up. What thoughts run through your mind? What do you tell yourself? Write these thoughts down exactly as they appear.

Step 3: Take the leap from thoughts to beliefs.

This is where the real discovery happens. Look at those thoughts and start questioning them. What beliefs are underneath?

Let me show you how this worked with my client. When he imagined doing something new in the future, he would automatically imagine that he would fail at it. So I asked him: "What would it mean if you failed?"

His answer: "People would reject me."

There was one belief: If I fail, I'll be rejected.

Then I asked: "What makes you assume that you're going to fail?"

That's when we uncovered another belief: I'm not capable.

Through this process of noticing your thoughts and questioning them, you discover what beliefs you have.

Why Is Finding Your Beliefs So Valuable?

Here's what this does for you: You take a behavior that seemed mysterious and confusing—"Why do I keep getting in my own way?"—and you find the answer. You discover the belief that's driving it.

And that leaves you with the possibility of doing something about that belief.

When you've not only targeted the right beliefs that are in your way, but then eliminated them, you experience a lightness. You experience a freedom to do something different and to no longer feel held back as you had in the past.

But How Do I Know I've Found the Right Belief?

I know what you're thinking. On your own, it's very hard to know that you've found the right belief. But here's the thing: you don't need to be perfect at this. You just need a practice that gets you to find beliefs that are pretty close most of the time.

With what I've shared here, you'll actually do a pretty good job of identifying some of the important beliefs holding you back.

And if you really want to accelerate your progress, work with one of my trained facilitators or with me directly. We're very good at identifying the precise beliefs that are in your way.

Your Next Step

The mystery of why you keep stopping yourself doesn't have to remain a mystery. Those behaviors that seem to make no sense? There are beliefs behind them. And once you find those beliefs, you can do something about them.

You've got two ways to dive deeper:

Try the process for yourself: Visit recreateyourlife.com/free and use the Lefkoe Method to work on eliminating beliefs you've identified.

Work with me directly: If you're ready to accelerate your progress and get expert help identifying the precise beliefs in your way, book a free strategy session. We'll explore what's really stopping you and create a plan to eliminate those barriers for good.

The freedom you're looking for is on the other side of finding—and eliminating—the beliefs that have been holding you back.