Are you as successful as you’d like to be? As you think you should be?

Perhaps you work hard, are honest, and wonder why you aren’t successful. You may be discouraged, thinking that it must only be those who are dishonest and inauthentic who succeed.

Believing you are unsuccessful because you are a good person is painful, right? But actually, believing you are unsuccessful because you are a good person is one of many limiting beliefs that may be keeping you from growth, and a mindset toward success.

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

It isn’t that you’re unsuccessful because you’re a good person; you’re unsuccessful because you’re a good person, and you believe good people aren’t successful. That’s the kind of mindset – the kind of limiting belief - that keeps you from success.

What are limiting beliefs? They are all kinds of beliefs you’ve been taking in since you were a child, given to you by your parents, your upbringing, a mentor, popular culture, and more. Beliefs that have been with you so long you don’t even notice them. But they are behind your decisions, and your relationship with success and abundance.

Here are some examples of limiting beliefs – do any of these resonate for you?

• Money is the root of all evil.
• No good deed goes unpunished.
• If you’re not successful, you’re just not smart enough (or working hard enough, or likeable enough – fill in the reason!)
• You can’t trust anyone.
• Don’t want too much, you’ll only be disappointed.

If any of those limiting beliefs (because that’s what they are!) sound familiar, your beliefs are almost certainly holding you back.

What to do? Well, here’s the key: your beliefs about success control how much success you experience. Limiting beliefs repel success; positive beliefs bring success to you. So it’s really just this simple: change your beliefs and you’ll change your reality. If you’re ready to do that, success can be yours. Here are tips to achieving success through a successful mindset.

Releasing Limiting Beliefs

Affirmations and visualization are powerful tools for change. One way you might release limiting beliefs and give yourself a mindset for success is to visualize them as candles blown out.

Set aside ten or fifteen minutes a day. Settle into a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Take three deep breaths, and continue to breathe deeply and slowly until you are still and calm.

Then, envision a candle in front of you, burning. Gaze at the candle, in your imagination. Then say aloud, or think clearly to yourself, “I now release any and all beliefs that hold me back from success.” In your mind’s eye, blow out the candle. Take a breath – do you notice a difference in how you feel, or in your outlook? If so, you might find it useful to continue this practice.

Embracing Empowering Beliefs

In releasing limiting beliefs, you’ve left space for something else – let’s replace those limiting beliefs with empowering ones. Continue to breathe deeply and slowly, with your eyes closed. See yourself in your mind’s eye, sitting as you’re sitting now, or standing, arms upraised – whatever image of yourself seems right.

Say aloud five times, or think to yourself: “I now invite success into my life. Success is mine.” Each time you say that phrase, see your image of yourself glowing with light – brighter and brighter. Brighter and brighter. Until, by the fifth time you say it, your image of yourself is blindingly bright. Blindingly bright – energized with the success that you’ve called into your life.

Affirmations for a Successful Mindset

In the days that follow, notice what’s different. Are you noticing images of an animal, or frequently remembering a family member who has passed on, or a mentor from your past? Are your dreams speaking to you of success? Are you suddenly struck by an idea of what you want to do with your life? You have opened to success. Be open to how messages about success come to you, that will help you strengthen your mindset for success, and achieve success in life. A good way to track and encourage this process is to keep a Success Journal that you write in, about your hopes and dreams, and what you see changing in your life.

Use affirmations for a successful mindset. You can repeat any or all of the following at the end of your releasing / empowering meditation session, or repeat them throughout the day. Or here’s a great approach – choose one, and write it on your bathroom mirror in dry erase marker. You’ll see it first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and every time you look at yourself in the mirror.

• I am creating the success I desire.
• I let go of limiting beliefs that stood in my way.
• I deserve success.
• I am becoming someone who always takes action.
• I effortlessly attract success.
• I am successful at everything I do.
• I step outside my comfort zone, and find success.
• I dream big.
• I am creating a life of abundance and success.

Get creative – write your own successful mindset affirmations that fit your dreams and goals! Congratulations for having the courage to change. Because you are willing to change, success in life is coming your way!