How to overcome limiting beliefs to create the career you want and deserve
Limiting beliefs are ideas you have about yourself or your abilities that are often untrue, and hold you back from achieving your potential and goals in some way. They often stem from insecurities, anxieties, or comparing yourself against others, leaving you convinced you’re unworthy, undeserving or incapable of achieving to the same standard as you hope, or as those around you are capable of.
One of the biggest areas in life which these beliefs threaten to hold you back is in your career and working life. You may have convinced yourself you lack the knowledge, skills, expertise or experience needed to achieve your career goals, or you might believe your competition or coworkers are more deserving or capable than yourself. Whatever you’ve come to believe about yourself, it’s important to recognise this: your thoughts and feelings are not facts. You can challenge these limiting beliefs, and overcome the obstacles they pose to your career. Because you deserve to have a career that lights you up every day, and leaves you feeling excited to get up each morning. You deserve to believe in yourself and your abilities, and feel confident in the fact that your skills and services are adding value to the lives of your clients and coworkers!
So here’s how to overcome some of the more commonly experienced limiting beliefs threatening to hold you back, so you can build a career you find fulfilling, rewarding and aligned with your values and goals.
Limiting Belief 1: “I’m not qualified enough to work in the job I really want. I don’t deserve it.”
The belief that you need more credentials or experience, or have to “prove” yourself time and time again in order to deserve a job or career you desire is very restrictive - and often untrue. For some people, no matter how many qualifications they acquire, or how many roles they work in to build up their experience, they never feel like they’ve done enough to deserve the career they truly want. This can be paralysing and prevent you from even applying for roles that you’re genuinely interested in.
While of course there is a place for experience and qualifications in many jobs - particularly in the healthcare and Pilates industries - in order to ensure workers are adequately trained to care for and support their clients, once you’ve completed the required certifications mandated by your employer or industry, if you still find yourself feeling “unqualified” then this is an indicator there’s something else going on… This suggests you’re being held back by a belief that you’re not enough, you’re not hard working or skilled enough to achieve your goals.
This is untrue.
How to overcome this belief:
An effective strategy to help you feel more deserving, capable and qualified for a role or career you desperately want is to commit to ongoing learning and development. Whether you choose to complete further certifications in your field, upskill by learning from others in your industry or workplace who you respect and admire, or teach yourself more about your craft by listening to podcasts, reading emerging research, finding informative books or attending industry workshops and events, recognising the importance of continuing to learn and challenge yourself is crucial to overcoming this belief. When you know you’re doing everything you can to ensure you’re always on top of advancements or new practices in your field, and you’re actively showing your commitment to your work and your clients, you can feel so much more confident in yourself and your worthiness of your dream job or career. You’ll know how much time, energy and effort you put into ensuring you’re delivering the very best care possible to your clients - and in doing so, you’re putting yourself far ahead of many others in your industry who aren’t as committed as you. Let this fuel your confidence and self-belief, and recognise you are deserving of whatever goals you set your mind to. You just need to believe it, and stop getting in your own way!
If you’re looking for upskilling course options to help you expand your skillset and knowledge, and feel more confident and deserving of your career goals, Unite Health offers a range of evidence-based, highly respected courses designed to allow you to support a greater variety of clients and goals, and add extra skills to your Pilates repertoire to further elevate your clients’ results from working with you. Check out our upskilling courses here, or book a free chat with our course experts to learn more and be guided towards the perfect option for your individual goals.
Limiting Belief 2: “I’m not the best in my industry, and I never will be. I’m not good enough compared to others.”
Doubting your skills and abilities, and assuming others are more capable than you is fairly common - especially when it comes to your professional life. Feeling inferior compared to your peers can stifle your ambition and undermine your confidence. It's easy to get caught in a cycle of comparison, which can be detrimental to your career growth.
How to overcome this belief:
It’s time to realise this important fact: not everyone is your competition. You don’t always need to strive to be “the best” - because this is a completely subjective achievement, and one that’s impossible to measure anyway. There is room for many people in business - even in competitive industries like Pilates and healthcare. So instead of seeing everyone else in your field as your competition, and comparing yourself to them accordingly - only to conclude you’re “worse” or less skilled than they are - begin to see your fellow industry workers as inspiration, and people you can learn from.
Get curious about others in your industry. If you’re a Pilates instructor, try out other studios or other instructors’ classes. Give other movement modalities a try - you can always find something to learn or take away from any kind of exercise, whether it’s Pilates or not. You might pick up a cue from an instructor that you enjoyed and incorporate it into your own classes. You may discover a new name for a movement you’ve been programming for years, or come across a new sequencing order which allows your movements to flow together more seamlessly. You might just prefer how another instructor describes a movement, or want to emulate the enthusiasm and energy they bring to their classes. Any learning is beneficial and positive, so get out there and give others a go!
Whether you work in Pilates or healthcare, networking is another key way to overcome this limiting belief and avoid the comparison trap. Reach out to others in your industry - via LinkedIn, social media, email, even in person! - and form connections. Ask people questions about their work and careers - people love to talk about themselves, and you’ll likely be surprised by how willing and generous they are to share their learnings and advice with you! Find yourself a mentor if you feel like that could help, and schedule regular sessions with them to learn what you can about their career and insights.
If you’re consistently working on adding to your skill set and knowledge by learning from those around you, and seeing them as inspiration rather than competition, you’ll no longer find yourself feeling like you’re lesser than everyone around you. You’ll be able to reframe this limiting belief, allowing your growth mindset to elevate your confidence in yourself and your abilities.
Limiting Belief 3: "My experience or education limits me."
Many people fall into the trap of assuming that their past experiences or qualifications determine what they can or cannot do in their career today. Here’s the thing… You are always able to seek further education and experience if you feel your previous instruction hasn’t given you the tools or knowledge you want and need to achieve your professional goals.
How to overcome this belief:
If you do decide to pursue further education, give yourself credit for how much commitment, determination and willingness you’re demonstrating in your ambition to be the best you’re capable of in your chosen career path.
Now, use this further education as a chance to differentiate yourself. Choose a course or certification which, instead of leaving you feeling limited in your choices, opens as many doors as possible and sets you apart in the eyes of future employers. Look for the most well-respected, recognised certifications available in your industry.
That’s where we come in. Unite Health’s APPI-accredited certifications comprise content developed by expert physiotherapists, taught by leading experts in the industry, and equipping you with a qualification recognised not just Australia-wide, but also globally. Our Certifications are known for producing the highest quality of graduates in the industry. Whether you’re looking to complete your APPI Clinical Pilates Certification to add Pilates to your healthcare practice, or you want to enrol in our APPI Pilates Instructor Certification to give yourself the very best chance of succeeding in your dream career in Pilates, choosing our research- and evidence-based courses signify to yourself and to your future employers that you’ve studied the most reliable, effective and comprehensive education available in the industry. Not only will your further education allow you to rewrite your belief that you’re limited by your prior experience or education, they’ll also instantly differentiate you in your competitive industry.
Limiting Belief 4: “I’m an imposter, I don’t deserve to be in the job I’m in. I’ve just been lucky to get to where I am today.”
Imposter syndrome, again founded largely on comparing yourself to others, can leave you questioning your own skills and ability to support your clients. It can make you feel like a fraud, doubting your accomplishments and fearing that others will discover you’re not as capable as you seem. It can give you a completely distorted view of yourself and your skills, questioning why your clients would ever choose to work with you when they could choose one of your coworkers or competitors instead. This belief often leaves you feeling like you’ve fumbled and fluked your way to where you are today, managing to almost deceive everyone around you that you have more skills and abilities than you think you really do.
How to overcome this belief:
It’s crucial to challenge this belief, to prevent it interfering with every aspect of your professional - and even personal! - life. To do so, ask for feedback from your clients and your peers in the industry. And when they give you positive feedback, listen to it - and believe it! Don’t question or doubt their praise, and allow confirmation bias to convince you they’re simply lying to protect your feelings. Recognise they’re giving you accurate feedback, and reflecting a more unbiased, realistic view of you and your skill set than you’re able to see for yourself. If you do receive constructive criticism, learn from it! Use it as a chance to grow and improve, rather than the confirmation that you don’t deserve to be where you are today.
Book a 1:1 mentoring session to ask for feedback on your skills and knowledge - and ask your mentor how you can improve your practice or programming. Our 1:1 mentoring sessions and packages partner you with a leading industry expert who can provide objective, actionable, useful feedback and advice, and help you improve any weaknesses so you can feel more confident in yourself and your abilities. You can book a session here, or purchase a package here.
And lastly, give yourself some credit! “Luck” doesn’t carve out a successful career, or get you to where you are today. Hard work, dedication and commitment do! You haven’t “deceived” your way to your existing achievements and career milestones, you’ve earned it. So give yourself the credit and recognition you deserve, and learn to celebrate your wins and successes, rather than brushing them aside and focusing only on your challenges or slip ups.
Limiting Belief 5: “I have to stick to one career path.”
Many people feel trapped in whatever specific career trajectory they originally chose, even if it no longer aligns with their goals or passions. This can be due to a belief that it’s too difficult to transition into a different field or role, they’ve wasted too much time in their current field, or they’d never be able to build up the skills and experience required to pivot careers.
And yet… so many people change careers multiple times throughout their lives. In fact, The University of Queensland shared research which shows the average Australian has around 3-7 careers during their working life, with this number expected to increase to 5-7 for the current and future generations of workers. What makes everyone else able to pivot and transition, but not you?
How to overcome this belief:
Believe in yourself, put in the work, and get the necessary qualifications and experience you need to pursue a new trajectory in your career. Find something you’re passionate about, and take proactive steps towards the new, reliable, rewarding career you truly want. And recognise that so much of your knowledge and skills will be transferable to your new path - things like leadership, teamwork, organisation, time management, interpersonal skills… All of these things aren’t specific to only one industry or job.
It’s never too late to start something new or change directions. Remember, you have so much life ahead of you - why not make that time as fulfilling and rewarding as possible, rather than condemning yourself to remaining miserable in a career you’re not enjoying or feeling passionate about?
Limiting Belief 6: “If I fail, it means I’m a failure. It makes me worthless.”
Viewing failure or setbacks in your career as a reflection of who you are, instead of a normal part of career progression and learning is another limiting belief you need to challenge.
How to overcome this belief:
The reality is this: your career doesn’t define your entire being. Experiencing setbacks or challenges in your career does not make you a lesser person or a failure. It actually makes you more resilient and strong, as you learn how to overcome these obstacles and develop new skills for the future. Learn to view each obstacle or challenge you encounter as a chance to learn and grow, and use these opportunities to improve your future career prospects and trajectory.
Recognise that there is not a single person on the planet who hasn’t experienced some kind of failure during their working life - it doesn’t make you lesser or unworthy, it makes you human! In fact, many of the most successful people on the planet are very open and forthcoming about the times they’ve been fired, launched a product no one wanted, went bankrupt… You get the gist. And yet each of them has used their failure to fuel their passion, determination and drive, learning whatever they could from their mistakes to prevent the same errors in the future, and improve their chances of success in whatever they went on to do next. Don’t let a fear of failure stop you from trying in the first place.
As you can see, limiting beliefs require you to be willing to confront and challenge them in order for you to achieve your goals and create a fulfilling career for yourself. These self-imposed barriers, when left unchecked, can hinder your personal and professional growth, and prevent you from pursuing your true potential. Implementing some of these practical strategies to help you overcome these obstacles can help you realise your potential and create a career that truly reflects and aligns with your abilities and aspirations. Remember, career growth is a continuous process of learning, adapting and believing in yourself. You deserve to have a career you feel confident and passionate about. Now it’s in your hands to make that happen!
Ready to start working your way towards your career goals and full potential at last? Book a free chat with our course experts today to understand the many ways Unite Health can help you get there - from our upskilling courses, to our APPI-accredited certifications, to our 1:1 mentorship options, we’ve got the perfect way for you to feel empowered, confident and capable in yourself and your abilities, allowing you to work your way towards your dream career - however that looks for YOU!