Mission Brief: How to Punch Limiting Beliefs in the Face

Cheat Sheet: How to Spot & Rewire a Limiting Belief

Limiting beliefs are like invisible prison bars. Most people never notice them — and worse, they decorate them.

Let’s fix that.

🔍 Step 1: Spot the Lie (AKA: Name the Cage)

Ask yourself:

“What’s the story I’m telling myself… that’s keeping me stuck?”

Look for any belief that starts with:

  • “I can’t…”
  • “I’m not the kind of person who…”
  • “They’ll never let me…”
  • “That’s just the way I am / it is.”

Examples of Sneaky Limiting Beliefs:

  • “I’m not good with money... or anything”
  • “It’s too late for me.”
  • “I don’t have what it takes.”
  • “I can’t say no — they’ll hate me.”
  • “That’s impossible in my situation.”

🚩 Red flag: If it feels safe but keeps you small, it’s a cage.

🔁 Step 2: Reframe It with Cognitive Reappraisal

(aka: Use Science to Flip the Script)

🧠 Cognitive reappraisal = replacing the emotional meaning of a situation by changing how you think about it.

Ask this power question:

“What’s another way to interpret this… that makes me stronger?”

Reframe examples:

  • “I’ve failed a lot” → “I’ve gained more data and resilience than most.”
  • “I’m behind” → “I’m building deep roots before I scale.”
  • “I’ve never done this” → “Perfect. No bad habits to unlearn.”

⚙️ Your brain is a pattern machine. Feed it better patterns.

🚀 Step 3: Action It Ruthlessly (The Anti-Stall Move)

Take a micro-action that matches the new belief.

✅ If your reframe is: “I am someone who can learn sales,”
→ Action: Make one ask. Send one pitch. Read 5 minutes of copy.

✅ If your reframe is: “It’s not too late,”
→ Action: Block 1 hour today. Start. Imperfectly.

Don’t wait for confidence. Train it.
Confidence is the residue of reps.

Say This to Yourself:

“This belief isn’t the truth. It’s just the lens. And I control the lens.”

Bonus: The WWII POW Rule

If Lt. Bill Ash could tunnel out from under a Nazi latrine with a spoon...
you can rewire your thinking.

Historical Quote to Tattoo in Your Mind:

“There is no cage so tight that the mind cannot find a key.”
– Flight Lieutenant Bill Ash, RCAF escape artist