Before discussing the ins and outs of limiting beliefs we must first review what beliefs and values are in general. Everyone has internal convictions - assumptions about how things are or should be. The real issue arises when people are unable to recognise their own beliefs, especially when those beliefs limit their potential.
Research shows that many professionals hold back in their careers because of self-limiting beliefs, such as “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t ask for help.” These assumptions, often shaped by earlier experiences, restrict individuals from speaking up, pursuing opportunities, or demonstrating their true capabilities (Rhodes & Grover, 2023).
Although such beliefs may appear minor, they can have far-reaching consequences. People often remain silent even when they have valuable insights, or they decline opportunities they are fully capable of achieving. These behaviours are rarely recognised as limiting beliefs, yet they echo deeply ingrained narratives tied to authority figures like parents or teachers. People then make decisions based on beliefs like “I can’t afford it” or “I don’t have enough time; beliefs that may not be strictly true but feel undeniably real. Understanding these dynamics is crucial because, while limiting beliefs can be changed, individuals must first be willing to challenge them.
People often make decisions based purely on their beliefs, ‘I can’t afford it’, ‘I don’t have enough time’, ‘I’m not good enough’. Sometimes our beliefs can be true, very few people in the world have limitless funds or we may well be too busy to achieve that task on the day in question. What often happens though, is that we decide for ourselves without any real justification for that decision. Limiting beliefs are not strictly true but people believe them to be and that is incredibly important to understand. They can be changed, but the person who believes it must be prepared to accept that change, or there could be significant resistance.
Albert Ellis Ph.D. suggested in his book regarding therapy that REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy) in conjunction with the ABC model (Activating Event = Beliefs + Consequences) and other logic-based models of therapy can have impressive results in a relatively short space of time. It is suggested that using a logical approach to the problem and taking the focus away from the emotion involved is the best way to achieve sustained behavioural change. Utilising this approach means coaches would be presenting facts and looking at the possible differing outcomes of a new approach. This way a coachee is able to make the jump for themselves based on what they believe to be true and what they truly want to achieve. We must remember though that as coaches we are not trained therapists and must not allow the session to venture into this theatre, contracting is vital here so we can stay on track with the client and signpost should we feel the need to.
If we take youth sport as an example and more specifically age grade rugby, one of the biggest issues faced by younger players is the tackle. It can be daunting, even scary, especially if a player has failed to make a tackle in a previous match/training session. If we look at the ABC model then the Activating Event is the failure to make a tackle, the Beliefs could be a mix of “I’m not good enough”, “I can’t do that”, “I’m going to get injured”, “I’ve let my team down”, “I’m a failure”. The Consequences then are that the player avoids the situation all together so they don’t have to experience those emotions again. By taking a logical and rational approach we work on the event rather than the beliefs in order to change the consequences and achieve the desired outcome. So we would look at technique, build strength, build confidence through repetition. With the goal of changing the belief of the player without directly challenging what they previously held as true. For this to be effective, we must first understand the current beliefs of the coachee, so B-C thinking, then using A-C thinking to try and bring about the desired change in outcome, as previously discussed in the Hot Topic on Coaching Interventions.
Limiting beliefs are as they state, a belief, and can be well engrained into behavioural patterns. As such they are not easy to deal with and will take time and dedication from both the coach and the coachee, but dealt with they can be.
Action Point
As a coach, what techniques do you have available to you that can help coachees identify limiting beliefs?