“Your child is deaf, blind, and mute.”
Those are words that would send any mother to her knees—but not Kate.
She was the mother of Helen Keller.
When Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing at 19 months old, doctors delivered what seemed like a death sentence to her future:
“Nothing can be done. She’ll never communicate, never learn, never be more than a prisoner in her own world.”
But where others saw hopelessness, Kate saw possibility.
Kate refused to accept this limitation. “There must be a way,” she said. “I refuse to believe she’s lost to us.” This unwavering belief—this absolute conviction that her daughter could be reached—led Kate to Anne Sullivan.
Anne, seeing Kate’s determination, promised: “If you believe in her, I will teach her.”
The journey wasn’t easy. Helen threw things. She hit. She even bit Anne.
But beliefs are relentless when they’re not clouded by doubt or fear.
Day after day, Anne spelled words into Helen’s palm. And then one day, Helen’s face changed. There was a realization—a moment of pure joy as the concept of language suddenly clicked.
Helen didn’t just learn words. She learned to speak, to write, and ultimately to inspire millions. She graduated college, became a renowned author and speaker, helped form the ACLU, and transformed public perception of disability.
But it all started with one thing: a mother’s belief that her child was never beyond hope.
What About Your Dreams?
When I look at Helen’s story, I’m struck by how different it could have been. What if her mother, Kate, had accepted those initial limitations? What if Anne had given up during those difficult early days?
The extraordinary achievements in this story happened because two women didn’t have limiting beliefs standing in their way. They held firmly to the possibility that Helen could learn, grow, and thrive—and that belief made all the difference.
So I have to ask: What beliefs might be stopping you from realizing your dreams?
For many of us, it’s not that we don’t have goals or aspirations. It’s that somewhere along the way, we’ve picked up beliefs that limit what we think is possible. These beliefs act like invisible barriers, keeping us from the determination that Kate and Anne showed.
How to Find the Beliefs Holding You Back
If you don’t have that same sense of determination, here’s how to discover what might be in your way:
- Identify your goal. What is it that you want to accomplish? What do you know in your heart you really want to achieve?
- List the necessary actions. What behaviors would it take to reach this goal? What actions would someone with unwavering belief take?
- Notice your patterns. What patterns of behavior usually stop you from achieving this goal? Do you procrastinate? Give up too quickly? Avoid taking risks?
- Uncover your limiting beliefs. What beliefs cause those patterns that interfere with your progress? What beliefs make you afraid of failure or reluctant to start?
These invisible beliefs—like “I’m not capable enough,” “It’s too late for me,” or “I’ll just fail anyway”—can be just as limiting as Helen’s physical challenges. But unlike Helen’s situation, these beliefs aren’t facts. They’re learned interpretations that can be unlearned.
Your Own Breakthrough Awaits
I’ve been helping people for 35 years eliminate the beliefs that kept them from reaching for the stars. Many call me a “belief detective” because I help them find beliefs they didn’t even know they had—the hidden barriers between them and their dreams.
Once we identify those limiting beliefs, we can eliminate them. And that’s when everything changes.
Like Kate Keller, you might be just one belief away from creating something extraordinary in your life. What might be possible for you without those limiting beliefs?
If you’re ready to find out, I invite you to sign up for a free strategy session with me. Together, we’ll explore your deepest goals, identify the specific barriers standing in your way, and determine if it makes sense for us to work together to achieve the breakthrough you’re looking for.
Because beliefs change everything. And your breakthrough story is waiting to be written.
