Some people resort to positive self-dialogue by repeating motivational phrases such as "I am confident in my potential" or imagining a promising future full of success to eliminate these restrictive ideas. Still, these methods are useless because they only deal with symptoms. You try to get rid of dissatisfaction with yourself rather than looking for the reasons behind your restrictive beliefs and your dissatisfaction and addressing them.
Assuming, for example, that you are sick, then it will not be enough to get rid of the heat; you need to treat the disease and the same concept applies to restrictive beliefs, so understanding the reasons behind restrictive beliefs helps you to address the core cause and get rid of the problem forever.
Restrictive beliefs are formed because of the tendency of the subconscious mind to think in a certain way, in the sense that the nature of the cognitive functions of the individual forces them to think about problems and complex issues and to form conclusions about them in a specific and different way, which leads the individual to draw certain beliefs.
This concept is called reflective judgment. It does not apply specifically to limiting beliefs, but it interprets them and clarifies the entire mechanism of their formation.
The affected trial theory of meditation classifies the individual's thinking into three levels. A person advances from one level to another as they get older and more intellectually developed, but some people remain in the lower levels.
The affected trial theory in meditation states that limiting beliefs result from the degree of culture, experience, and the extent to which the individual's way of thinking is developed. This means that the development of the thinking process leads to a reduction in the number of limiting beliefs.
Three levels of the thinking process
1. Rigid Thinking
It means the individual believes the words of those in authority over them.
At this point, the prevalent restricting belief is that you will be persuaded by others' statements if they tell you that you won't be able to accomplish something.
Example: “According to society's provisions, an individual must be special to become a famous actor; for this reason, I cannot become a successful actor.”
2. Vague Thinking
The individual in such a situation thinks that they are less than others or different from them.
At this point, the prevalent level is doubt and fear. You do not know how to achieve success because there is no specific way to achieve success, and you think that successful people are different from you or that you cannot do a job because you simply cannot do it without defining clear reasons.
Example: “Successful actors are nothing like me. They are rich and have good looks and privileges that I do not have, and I cannot become successful like them, and I cannot understand why.”
3. Evidence-Based Thinking
This level requires acknowledging that there is a specific and correct way of doing business, and the individual thinks that the proper application of this method ensures success.
At this level, the dominant type of restrictive belief is that there is no room for restrictive beliefs, because success is defined as the result of logical and analytical mental judgment, and it is not based on false assumptions or mood or emotional fluctuation.
Example: “My ability to succeed in acting depends on my skill that I can develop through practice and training, and the network of relationships that I can build over time. This means that I can succeed if I am able and willing to spend enough time and effort, and I am aware of the difficulties that can be encountered in the process.”
The third level of thinking enhances your abilities and chances of success because you are trying to discover methods to achieve success, rather than relying on unfounded assumptions to put forward the possibility of failure.
Three Ways to Eliminate Restrictive Beliefs
1. Reject the assumptions on which you are fundamentally dependent in your life
The assumptions that an individual clings to are often causes for their anxiety and backwardness in life, and they belong to the first and second levels of thinking. Some of these misconceptions assume that a stable job is ideal or that you must live in a luxurious house to be happy.
If you think you cannot launch your own project, then you should look for the source of this assumption, ascertain whether it is the result of an objective study, or whether you rely on your emotions and moods and speculate that you will not succeed. You should work to change the way you think and viewpoints to suit your goals and ambitions.
2. Not relying on emotions in forming views
The individual hopes that their personal views are correct, as well as the beliefs and assumptions they receive from society and the ones that parents teach children, but what really matters are the facts and assumptions that are right in life, and one should be ready to learn and evaluate their views and recognize the wrong beliefs if they exist, and replace them with better ones. In this way, they will not cling to restricting beliefs.
3. Reasoning when making decisions
You should base your beliefs on logic and proofs, so instead of saying, “A young one like me cannot launch their own project,” you should say, “If I want to launch my project, then I must do such and such to achieve success,” and when you determine the elements of success, you will know whether you are ready to make the required effort. This means the only thing that determines how successful you are is whether you decide to follow the goal or not, without getting your emotions involved.
When logic trumps emotion, there is no room left for emotionally restricting beliefs that hinder your progress.
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