You can have the perfect plan, the right strategy, and the best intentions but if your mindset works against you, progress feels impossible.
This article in the Action Breakthrough Series focuses on the hidden internal barriers “limiting beliefs” that quietly affect your consistency, energy, motivation, and ability to follow through.
If you have ever wondered why you can ‘know what to do’ but still struggle to follow through — limiting beliefs are usually the reason.
These beliefs shape your health long before your habits do.
The body follows where the mind allows it to go.
What Are Limiting Beliefs?
Limiting beliefs are the internal narratives that determine what you believe is possible for you. They sound like:
- “I have always struggled with my weight.”
- “I am not disciplined enough.”
- “I do not have willpower.”
- “I am too uncoordinated”
- “I am not an exercise person”
- “Healthy routines never last for me.”
They form from past experiences, repetition, early conditioning, emotional memories or environments where those beliefs were reinforced.
They do not just influence what you think, they also influence what you attempt, avoid, repeat, or abandon.
Psychologically, these beliefs become mental shortcuts.
Your brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS) then filters information to support what you already believe.
When you believe you “always fail,” your brain notices every slip and ignores every win.
Limiting beliefs do not reflect your truth, they reflect your past.
The Neuroscience Behind Limiting Beliefs
Limiting beliefs are not character flaws, they are neural pathways created through repetition.
These pathways become automatic when the brain decides they are “safer” than change.
1.The Brain Prefers Predictability
The amygdala (the brain’s emotional alarm system) flags uncertainty as a threat.
This makes new routines feel emotionally unsafe even when they are positive.
This is why changing habits often feels ‘hard’, not because you are weak or disciplined, but because your brain is trying to keep you safe.
2.Cognitive Bias Reinforces Old Patterns
Your brain pays more attention to confirming evidence than contradicting evidence.
This is called confirmation bias, and it strengthens whatever belief already exists.
A helpful example: if you believe you “always fall off track,” your brain highlights slip‑ups and ignores small wins, making the belief feel true even when it is not.
3.Neuroplasticity Works Both Ways
Research from University College London (2020) shows that repeated thoughts — even negative ones — strengthen neural circuitry, the network of connections your brain uses to run automatic patterns.
In simple terms? The same repetition that built your limiting beliefs can unbuild them.
Small, consistent shifts in thinking create new pathways that support confidence, action, and progress.
Common Types of Limiting Beliefs
It is important to understand what type of limiting belief is driving your behaviour, so that you gain the ability to challenge it, reframe it, and replace it with a more empowering, progress‑driving belief that moves you forward.
Here is a brief overview of the most common limiting beliefs seen in the health and wellness space:
1.All-or-Nothing Thinking
“I missed one exercise session, so the whole week is a disaster.”
This belief makes every small mistake feel catastrophic, pushing you toward achieving perfection rather than progress.
Instead of modifying the plan, everything stops.
This rigid mindset often comes from trying to avoid the feeling of “not being good enough” which stops progress before you build the consistency that actually creates results.
If this resonates with you, see our full article on the All-or-Nothing Mindset.
2.Fear of Failure
“If I try and fail, it means something is wrong with me.”
Fear of failure often forms when past attempts were emotionally painful.
Then the mind avoids this risk altogether by avoiding the action.
This commonly shows up (masks) as hesitation, procrastination, and overthinking.
Instead of trying a small step and learning, the fear of repeating past disappointment blocks progress before it can begin.
3.Fear of Success
“If I improve, I will have to maintain it and that feels overwhelming.”
Success can feel threatening because it brings new expectations, responsibilities, or visibility.
Some people fear losing relationships, disrupting routines, or not being able to keep up long-term.
This belief leads to subtle self-sabotage right when progress starts to work.
4.Identity-Based Beliefs
“I am not an exercise person”
Identity beliefs feel powerful because they seem permanent.
These beliefs often develop in childhood or after repeated setbacks: the mind labels the behaviour as ‘who I am’ rather than ‘what I have practiced.’
The truth – identities are learned so they can be unlearned.
Shifting identity is one of the strongest predictors of lasting change.
5.Control Beliefs
“My life is too unpredictable to be consistent.”
This belief develops when previous routines were disrupted by stress, work, family demands, or unexpected life events.
The brain interprets inconsistency as a lack of control and assumes future attempts will fail.
This leads to avoidance and the belief that ‘there’s no point starting.’
Learning flexible consistency transforms this pattern.
6.Comparison Beliefs
“Others find it easy — something must be wrong with me.”
Comparison beliefs come from unrealistic standards or social comparison especially with prevalence of social media.
When you assume everyone else is doing better, your own efforts feel inadequate.
This drains confidence, fuels shame, and sets expectations no one can meet.
Progress becomes possible again when you compare only to your past self not someone else’s highlight reel.
These limiting beliefs shape behaviour more than plans or motivation ever will.
Why Limiting Beliefs Destroy Progress
Limiting beliefs do not just influence your thinking, they directly shape your behaviour, decisions, motivation, and follow‑through.
No matter how strong your plan is, these beliefs quietly interfere with your ability to take consistent action.
Here is why they sabotage progress:
1.They shrink your belief in what is possible
When the brain believes a goal is out of reach, it reduces effort to avoid emotional discomfort.
Progress becomes inconsistent because the mind has already predicted failure.
2.They create hesitation and avoidance
Limiting beliefs activate emotional stress responses that make starting, restarting, or pushing through challenges feel threatening.
This leads to procrastination, overthinking, and delaying action.
3.They distort how you interpret your results
These beliefs magnify slip‑ups and minimise wins.
Even meaningful progress may not “register” because your mind filters information through the negative belief.
4.They reduce resilience when challenges appear
Instead of adapting, the mind defaults to old narratives: “See? I knew I could not do this.”
This decreases persistence and increases the likelihood of quitting early.
5.They weaken identity — the foundation of long‑term change
Real transformation happens when your identity shifts (“I am someone who takes care of my health”).
Limiting beliefs prevent this shift, keeping you tied to outdated identities created by past experiences.
Understanding your dominant limiting belief gives you clarity but the solution is universal: 1. Awareness, 2. Reframing, 3. Reinforcing, 4. Leverage and 5. Celebrate.
How to Break Free From Limiting Beliefs
Breaking free from limiting beliefs is not about forcing positivity, it is about creating new, evidence‑based experiences that retrain the brain.
Here is a proven structure used in effective coaching:
1.Awareness — Bring the Belief Into the Light
You cannot change what you cannot see. Notice the thought that shows up when you try to take action.
Ask yourself: “What story do I keep repeating that holds me back?”
Awareness interrupts the automatic pattern.
Before you can replace a belief, you need to hear it.
Try this: write down the exact sentence your mind gives you when you feel stuck.
2.Reframe — Shift the Internal Narrative
Reframing is not pretending everything is perfect.
It is choosing a more accurate, more empowering thought.
Examples:
- “I always fall off track” → “I succeed when I simplify and focus my plan.”
- “I am not disciplined enough” → “I am developing discipline through repetition.”
- “Healthy habits never last” → “Habits stick when I build them gradually.”
- “I don’t have time.” → “Small moments count, consistency is created in minutes, not hours.”
- “I do not have willpower.” → “Willpower grows when I build habits that suit my lifestyle.”
- “I am not an exercise person” → “I am becoming someone who moves my body in ways that feel good for me.”
- “I will never look like I used to.” → “My future body responds to what I do next, not what I did years ago.”
- “I am too uncoordinated” → “Coordination improves with practice and with every session builds skill.”
3.Reinforce – Pair Thought With Action
This is where transformation happens.
BJ Fogg’s (Stanford) behavioural model shows that small, successful actions create identity‑level change.
Action → builds evidence
Evidence → reshapes belief
Belief → fuels new action
This loop strengthens the new neural pathway and weakens the old one.
4.Leverage Support — Change Happens Faster With Structure
A supportive environment accelerates the rewiring process.
Research consistently shows that people supported by coaching or community change habits up to 3 times faster than those who go alone.
Accountability, coaching, and positive community create consistency even when motivation drops.
5.Celebrate Micro‑Wins
Small wins release dopamine, reinforcing progress and strengthening confidence.
Every win, no matter how small, teaches the brain: “This is who I am now.”
Summary
Limiting beliefs influence your actions, effort, and emotional responses long before you take a single step.
By increasing awareness, reframing your internal stories, and pairing new beliefs with small aligned actions, you build a mindset capable of driving real, lasting transformation.
Change begins in the mind before it appears in the mirror.
Navigate The Action Breakthrough Series
This article is the next in our Action Breakthrough Series, designed to help you overcome what is holding you back and finally create momentum in your health and fitness.
If you missed the posts in this series, catch up below:
- Blog 1: From Crossroads to Action: How to Break Thru What’s Holding You Back
- Blog 2: What Makes Tiny Habits the Secret to Health Success?
- Blog 3: The Simple Truth About Why Your Plans Never Work (Until Now)
- Blog 4: Can Your Support System Really Make You Successful and Happier?
- Blog 5: Why Your All-or-Nothing Thinking Destroys Success (And How to Fix It)
- Blog 6: Low on Motivation? Learn How to Fuel Your Energy and Build Momentum
- Blog 7: How Successful People Break Free from Limiting Beliefs to Build a Growth Mindset THIS POST
- Blog 8: Coming Soon – Momentum Over Motivation: How to Keep Going When the Spark Fades
Cameron Corish has been caring and achieving results for the local Wishart, Mansfield and Mt Gravatt community for over 15 years. He takes a multi-disciplined and holistic approach to health and fitness addressing the physical, mental and emotional aspects of one’s health.
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Research References
– Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.
– Rollwage, M. et al. (2020). Confidence drives a neural confirmation bias. Nature Communications.
– Lally, P. et al. (2009). How are habits formed in the real world? University College London.
– Arguinchona, J. H. et al. (2023). Neuroanatomy, Reticular Activating System. StatPearls.
– Smith, K. S., & Graybiel, A. (2016). Habit formation. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences.
– PositivePsychology.com. How to Change Self-Limiting Beliefs According to Psychology.
Quick Answers
What are limiting beliefs in fitness?
They are internal stories like “I can’t stay consistent” that influence your motivation, confidence, and behaviour.
Why do limiting beliefs stop progress?
They drain emotional energy, reduce confidence, and trigger avoidance behaviours that make consistency harder.
Can limiting beliefs be changed as an adult?
Yes. Neuroplasticity research shows the brain forms new pathways through repeated thought and action.
How do I break a limiting belief?
Increase awareness, reframe the belief, and reinforce the new belief with small wins that build confidence.
