Looking for an examples of limiting beliefs? Here are 101 examples, grouped by theme: money, relationships, work, self-view, and worldview.
Jump to a section:
- Limiting beliefs about self-view (1-26)
- Limiting beliefs about the world (27-41)
- Limiting beliefs about money (42–61)
- Limiting beliefs about relationships (62–86)
- Limiting beliefs about work (87–101)
Limiting belief examples:
- “I’m not good enough.”
- “Emotions are weakness.”
- “Real men don’t cry.”
- “Real women are submissive.”
- “I’m broken.”
- “My worth is based on how much stuff I have.”
- “I’m just a burden to others.”
- “You can’t teach and old dog new tricks.”
- “Other people don’t like me.”
- “People who say compliments are just being nice.”
- “People wouldn’t like the real me.”
- “I can’t succeed.”
- “I’m not smart enough to achieve my dreams.”
- “I’m not disciplined enough to reach my goals.”
- “If I fail, everyone will judge me.”
- “I’m not worthy of love.”
- “I’m too introverted to be successful.”
- “I don’t deserve to be happy.”
- “Other people have something I don’t.”
- “I’ll never be able to build confidence.”
- “I’m too old/young.”
- “One mistake I made defines me.”
- “I’m not good at making decisions.”
- “I don’t deserve happiness.”
- “I’ll never be happy with what I have.”
- “I can’t be creative or fun.”
- “Everything is doomed.”
- “I hate everyone.”
- “Life is hard.”
- “Everything happens for a reason.”
- “Nothing will ever get better.”
- “We’re worse off than we’ve ever been.”
- “Things will never change.”
- “Only greedy people win.”
- “One person can’t make a difference.”
- “The world is unfair.”
- “The world only works for the rich and powerful.”
- “No matter what I do, the system is rigged against me.”
- “There is no hope left.”
- “Things were better in the old days.”
- “I saw it on the news so it must be true.”
- “Money is evil.”
- “I’ll never be financially stable.”
- “Wanting more money means I am greedy.”
- “I need to buy the latest things to appear wealthy.”
- “I’ll never make enough money to live comfortably.”
- “I’m not worthy of financial success.”
- “I’ll always be stuck in this financial situation.”
- “Wealth is only for the lucky ones.”
- “Money is hard to come by.”
- “I can’t achieve financial freedom.”
- “I’ll never be able to retire.”
- “I’m not good with money.”
- “Only rich people get ahead in life.”
- “There’s no way I’ll ever own a home.”
- “I’ll always be in debt.”
- “I’ll never be financially free.”
- “I need to work nonstop to make money.”
- “It’s too risky to invest in my dreams.”
- “I’ll never make enough money to retire comfortably.”
- “I’m not capable of managing my finances.”
- “I’ll never find a relationship that works.”
- “No one dates to be in relationships anymore.”
- “Men are trash.”
- “Women are gold diggers.”
- “Blood is thicker than water.”
- “My partner will eventually leave me.”
- “I have to be perfect to be loved.”
- “I’m too shy to make meaningful connections.”
- “I can’t trust people with my feelings.”
- “I’ll always struggle with relationships.”
- “I’m not attractive enough for someone to love me.”
- “People always leave me.”
- “I don’t deserve a healthy relationship.”
- “People only care about me for what I can do for them.”
- “My partner will never change.”
- “I’ll always be the one who gives in relationships.”
- “No one cares about my opinions.”
- “A relationship needs to complete me.”
- “I can’t have a happy family.”
- “No one will ever understand me.”
- “I can’t trust anyone.”
- “I can’t rely on others.”
- “I’ll never be good enough for anyone.”
- “I’m not capable of having a healthy relationship.”
- “People are just trying to scam me.”
- “I’m too old to start a new career.”
- “I’ll always be stuck in this job.”
- “I don’t have enough experience to get the job I want.”
- “I’ll never find a career I’m passionate about.”
- “I’m not good enough to get promoted.”
- “I don’t belong in high-status environments.”
- “I’ll never get a raise.”
- “No one will ever take me seriously at work.”
- “I’m not good enough to start my own business.”
- “I’ll never find a job that pays well.”
- “I’m not good enough to lead others.”
- “There’s too much competition to succeed.”
- “I’m not good at networking.”
- “I don’t have the right connections to succeed.”
- “I can’t improve my skills.”
Ready to change your limiting beliefs?
Take the next step. Here are some related articles to help you dive deeper into understanding and addressing limiting beliefs:
- Limiting Beliefs: Everything You Need to Know
- How to Identify and Challenge Limiting Beliefs
- The Impact of Limiting Beliefs on Your Success
- How to Reframe Limiting Beliefs
Want to go even further?
Check out Big Think, my book dedicated to helping you remove mental blockers and achieve your goals. Learn powerful techniques for shifting your mindset and breaking through barriers that hold you back.
👉 Buy Big Think on Amazon
👉 Read the introduction to Big Think