They say your mind is far more powerful than your brain. The brain is considered to be just an organ, but it’s the mind that’s believed to be the universe. Whatever your mind imagines, it can be created in reality—be it wealth, happiness, love, and prosperity. But for that to happen, you need to go beyond your limiting beliefs.

Believe it or not, your limiting beliefs stand in your way to create the reality you desire. The job of these beliefs is to limit. You may believe that something in life is certain, such as you are not good enough for the job, you cannot become a superstar, or you cannot accumulate wealth.

But that’s not always true. These beliefs narrow your horizon, and you look at the world from a negative vantage point. They prevent you from realizing your true potential, which is very divine. You become averse to change and, as a result, wallow in self-pity that everything and everyone around you is wrong.

The secret lies in overcoming these self-limiting beliefs. Once you believe that you can do something, you will ignite your passion and take necessary actions to turn your dream into a living reality. But, to overcome your negative belief system, you should be first aware of its source.

Your limiting beliefs may root from these sources:

1. Past events

Your beliefs are general perspectives you have formed after experiencing various events in the past. Your past may be full of painful experiences. Some part of you may still be grieving those losses. It can be the death of a loved one, adversity in school or college, or any other traumatic experience that has made you feel that the world is full of suffering. But actually, it isn’t. Your subconscious mind has held on to the conclusions you have drawn after experiencing a traumatic event. But you can make a conscious choice to break away from the pattern and look at the world through a new lens.

2. Childhood environment

During its development stages, the human brain is super absorbent. It’s like a sponge that absorbs everything it is subjected to. Any traumatic event or external stimulus (either from parents, guardians, teachers, friends, or relatives) have an important role in shaping your reality today. Your childhood environment may have made you believe that you are not good enough, but you should know that’s wiring done in the past. You are not your past. So, the sooner you realize that you are not the result of your early environment, the sooner you will be free from the self-limiting shell.

3. Inadequate knowledge

Sometimes, the human ego is inflated like a parachute, and it soars high up in the sky. It’s easy to fall prey to a belief that you know everything. Whether it’s about a person, a job, or any event, you may generalize everything based on what you know, which may not be true in most cases. This illusion of being all-knowing can sometimes prevent you from trying something new that can open up interesting, life-changing opportunities. The key to overcoming these beliefs lies in become a life-long learner. You need to focus on acquiring more and more knowledge from people and your surroundings. After all, curiosity does not always kill the cat.

4. Future expectation

Self-limiting beliefs not only come from your past, but also from the vision and expectation you have about your future. Imagined experiences, just like your past experiences, mould your belief system. For example, you may want to make the major career leap, but your fear of failing to achieve the desired status and position may hold you back from taking that action. It’s true that the future is uncertain, but you would never know until and unless you venture out into the unknown. So, try visualizing a compelling, uplifting future. Focus on the feelings the thought creates in your body. Anchor yourself in the positive thought, and you will soon see it manifest in your reality.

With your belief system, you can either create the life you desire or destroy whatever you have. So, it’s up to you to make a conscious choice to identify and let go of your limiting beliefs to see a world of multiple possibilities. These beliefs are all in your “monkey mind.” Once you can control the endless, negative chatter and ground yourself in a positive reality, there’s no looking back for you.