Subconscious Belief in Inability – Blocking Personal Progress

A person’s limiting belief in their own abilities holds them back from progressing; it literally blocks neurological pathways in the brain, disconnects them from resources, weakens motivation, and prevents action, growth, and advancement.

For example, a mother can take dozens of parenting and education courses, be the most talented woman with common sense and wisdom, but if she has a subconscious limiting belief that she lacks the strength and ability to raise children, it will be very challenging for her to be a good mother until she releases that belief.

Of course, the subconscious beliefs that our subconscious forms are not always accurate. Sometimes we failed in a particular area, and the subconscious formed a limiting belief that we have no chance of succeeding in it again, due, for example, to harsh feedback from those around us. Yet, if the person considered it consciously with the frontal part of their brain, they would understand that failing once does not eliminate the many chances to succeed. But with such a limiting subconscious belief, the individual won't dare to act further and attempt to break through again, as the subconscious controls almost the entire person. Unless, as we'll see, we become aware of this and embark on self-work to free ourselves from these limitations.

Indeed, the subconscious belief without self-work to change determines whether one believes in themselves and acts and succeeds with the help of Hashem, or remains stuck and refrains from advancing due to a lack of belief in their abilities, which contradicts the will of Hashem.

A person with limiting subconscious beliefs about their strength won’t progress beyond what they think they can achieve, because one only successfully realizes the potential they believe they possess. Success research shows that just a few decades ago, scientists declared that the limit for running was a mile in four minutes. They offered physiological reasons why one couldn’t run faster. Indeed, no one broke that record then. In 1964, an athlete decided to break the record. He strove to run faster than the known limit and succeeded in setting a new record. Fascinatingly, after he broke the record, another three hundred people broke it. How did everyone suddenly manage? Once the limiting subconscious belief thinking the limit for running was a mile in four minutes dissolved, everyone could also surpass the record and achieve higher speeds.

A father and son visited the zoo, and the son was amazed to see a huge and powerful elephant tied to a small stake in the ground. The son asked, “How can it be that this enormous and strong elephant can’t just pull the small stake out and free itself?” The father answered, “When the elephant was young and small, it was tied with a rope to this stake. The small elephant fought repeatedly against the stake but couldn't succeed, and so the belief was ingrained in its mind that it cannot free itself. Since then, the elephant grew, its size and strength increased, yet it still believes it can’t remove the stake and no longer tries...”

Often, we act similarly. If we once tried long ago to do something new, initiate change, and failed, our subconscious built a limiting belief about our capabilities. Since then, years have passed; we've matured, grown stronger, and learned new things. But our subconscious still believes we are incapable, sometimes affecting other areas as well. We need to break this limiting belief and instill empowering beliefs that trust in our capabilities.

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