By Dr. Scott Zarcinas, Founder, 818: Unlocking Your Life

Sometimes it can feel as if an invisible force is holding you back from achieving your true potential.

I’ve certainly felt this way. Several years ago, as I prepared to write my first major book on mindset and spirituality (Being YOU! Awakent to the Abundance of Your Natural State of Being), a familiar voice in my head whispered, “Who are you to give advice about this? What credibility do you have?”

That voice—that limiting belief—nearly forced me to put down my pen and stop writing.

What Are Limiting Beliefs?

Limiting beliefs are those deeply ingrained thoughts that shape our perception of reality and restrict what we believe is possible. They’re the silent saboteurs of our dreams and ambitions.

Take Timothy, a client who dreamed of starting his own financial advisory agency. Despite having over a decade of experience and a portfolio of successful clients, he hesitated for years.

“I’m not business-savvy enough,” he told himself, as well as other reasons that sapped his confidence, like “The market is too saturated.” And “I don’t have what it takes.”

When he finally took the leap, he secured the necessary clients he needed to start the business, which is now in its fifth year.

Here’s the powerful truth:

Limiting beliefs are not reality. They are merely conditioned thoughts, and like any thoughts, they can be changed.

Identifying Your Personal Limiting Beliefs

The first step to transformation is awareness.

You can’t change what you don’t recognise or acknowledge.

When I first started my coaching practice in 2008, I avoided networking events, believing I wasn’t good with new people. This belief limited my client base until I identified and addressed it.

To uncover your own limiting beliefs, ask yourself:

• What recurring negative thoughts do I have about myself?
• What excuses do I make for not taking action?
• When have I hesitated to seize an opportunity, and why?
• What beliefs did I inherit from my upbringing that may no longer serve me?

I remember working with Raymond, an international client, who believed he was “bad with money.”

This caused him to avoid budgeting, investing, and making financial decisions. He was approaching 50 years of age and wanted to save for a deposit to buy a house.

After digging deeper, he realised this belief stemmed from watching his parents struggle financially during childhood. This awareness was the first step toward becoming financially confident and eventually saving for the home loan.

Reframing: The Path to Transformation

Now that you’ve identified your limiting beliefs, it’s time to transform them.

Reframing is the process of shifting your perspective.

Instead of accepting a limiting belief as truth, challenge it with these steps:

1. Question its validity – Ask yourself, “Is this belief objectively true? Can I prove it beyond doubt?”
2. Find evidence to the contrary – Look for instances in your life (or others’ lives) where this belief has been proven false.
3. Replace with an empowering belief – Swap “I’m not good enough” with “I am capable and worthy of success.”
4. Take small actions to reinforce the new belief – Confidence grows through action. Each time you step beyond your comfort zone, you weaken the old belief and strengthen the new one.

Mark, a former client who competed in triathlons, provides a powerful example of reframing.

While working full-time in his own business, becoming a father for the first time, buying a new house, and playing semi-professional football, he initially told himself, “I don’t have the time for this.”

By challenging this belief and reframing the experience as “I need more targeted time management,” he went on to complete an Ironman competition the same year.

Cultivating a Growth-Oriented Mindset

As you work on transforming your limiting beliefs, cultivating a growth-oriented mindset becomes essential.

This mindset sees challenges as opportunities and failures as stepping stones to success.

To nurture this perspective:

• Surround yourself with positive influences—mentors, books, and people who uplift and inspire.
• Practice gratitude daily—focus on what’s going right in your life.
• Commit to continuous learning—every setback is a lesson, not a defeat.

Your Turn to Transform

Your beliefs are the script of your life. If you change the script, you change the story.

By transforming limiting beliefs into empowering ones, you unlock the doors to success, fulfillment, and happiness.

Here are some things to consider:

• What limiting beliefs are you ready to challenge today?
• Has a limiting belief held you back in the past?
• How did overcoming it change your life?

Want personalised guidance on identifying and transforming your limiting beliefs?

👉 Book your complimentary Discovery Session today and discover how personalised life coaching can help you achieve the transformation you’ve been seeking.