Limiting beliefs are often the invisible chains that hold you back from launching the business God placed in your heart. They sound like truth in your mind but act like barriers in your life. And if you’re feeling stuck or unworthy of starting your service-based business, you’re not alone.

Goal setting always makes the rounds this time of year. But let’s be honest: just writing goals down and scheduling them doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually reach them. What often stands in the way? Your mindset.

Mindset is simply the collection of stories you’ve been telling yourself over time—stories that form your belief system. It influences how you think, feel, act, and lead. In December 2017, I first heard about the term limiting beliefs from my mentor Michael Hyatt, and it changed the way I saw myself.

Limiting beliefs are those negative, internal scripts like:
“I don’t have what it takes to run a business.”
“I’m always passed over for promotions because of my gender.”
“I’m too old to start something new.”

Sound familiar?

In 2011, I set a bold goal to start an international personal shopper business—but I never followed through. Why? Because these 3 limiting beliefs kept me stuck.

Limiting Belief #1: “I’ll never be successful or fulfilled in life without a Corporate job.”

For years, I chased the security and prestige of Corporate America. When rejections kept rolling in, I believed the lie that the only real path to success or fulfillment was through a corporate title.

With every failed interview, I sank deeper into disappointment. Eventually, depression crept in. At the time, it never crossed my mind that starting and growing a business could offer the same level of fulfillment, maybe even more.

Sure, corporate roles have their benefits, but they aren’t the only measure of success. Your value isn’t defined by a job title or office address. You are more than your LinkedIn profile. Limiting beliefs like this one rob you of the creativity, purpose, and boldness needed to explore other meaningful paths.

Limiting Belief #2: “Everyone is already doing what I want to do.”

This one hits hard, doesn’t it? So many people stay stuck in planning mode because they feel like their idea isn’t “original” enough. I used to scroll through social media, compare myself to others, and think, “I could totally do that, and better.” But I never actually did anything.

We tell ourselves we’re “late to the game” or that the market is too saturated, but the truth is: no one can bring your exact voice, experience, or anointing to the table. As Marie Forleo says, “The world needs that special something that only YOU have.” The same goes for your service-based business.

Even if someone else is doing what you want to do, they’re not doing it like YOU would.

Limiting Belief #3: “My service offering is not valuable because it’s not rocket science.”

This belief lingered in my mind for years, even after I had successfully launched my business.

I had graduated with honors, earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree, and completed a Project Management Certification. There were moments I felt those accomplishments were being wasted. I questioned my worth because my work didn’t look “impressive” enough on paper.

But then came a life-changing moment.

One day, a customer called in desperate need of a medical device for her daughter’s surgery. It wasn’t available in her country but was accessible here in the U.S. I found it for her. Unfortunately, her daughter’s condition had deteriorated, and the device arrived too late. She didn’t make it.

That moment wrecked me. But it also awakened me.

For the first time in five years, I saw the true value of what I was doing. Whether I was shipping snacks or sourcing life-saving tools, I was solving problems. And solving problems is valuable—even if it’s not flashy or glamorous.

Change the Script, Change the Outcome

Oprah said it best:

“You become what you believe, not what you want.”

To achieve your goals this year, take inventory of the stories you’ve been playing on repeat. You have the power to rewrite them. A movie director can change a script to achieve a better ending—and so can you.

You don’t have to stay stuck. You can overcome limiting beliefs and start your service-based business with clarity and confidence.

In my next blog post, I’ll walk you through the 3 Liberating Truths I leaned on to push past these beliefs and finally start my business. I’ll even show you how I use these truths every New Year to keep chasing bold, audacious goals.

Ready to turn your idea into a real business?
Download my free Business Clarity Blueprint and start mapping your path today!