Wearing the hat of a marketer most of my life, one of the best decisions I took was my journey of becoming a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) in Leadership, Communication, Business where I am a medium for senior leaders to tap into unlocking their limiting beliefs to visualise and become their better version.
Let’s say (should be relatable), you’re on the verge of making a life-changing decision— switching careers, starting a business, or speaking up in a meeting. Suddenly, a little voice in your head whispers, “You’re not good enough,” or “What if you fail?” That inner narrative is often more powerful than external obstacles, holding you back from achieving your potential.
These whispers come from deeply ingrained limiting beliefs, which are shaped by the interplay of three key areas of our brain: the reptilian brain, the limbic system, and the neocortex. Understanding how these parts of the brain work together to shape your mindset is the first step in breaking free from these self-imposed barriers and unlocking your fullest potential.
- The Anatomy of Limiting Beliefs: A Neurological Perspective
Our brain’s structure evolved over millions of years, with each layer playing a distinct role in survival, emotional processing, and rational thinking:
- Reptilian Brain (Survival Mode): The most primitive part of the brain, the reptilian brain, governs instinctual behaviours like fight, flight, or freeze. It operates on survival instincts, ensuring that we avoid perceived danger. This part of the brain is often responsible for the “fear of the unknown,” which can manifest as resistance to change or fear of failure.
- Limbic System (Emotional Hub): Sitting above the reptilian brain is the limbic system, which regulates emotions, memories, and motivations. It’s the emotional epicentre that reinforces beliefs through experiences. For instance, a failed attempt in the past might create an emotional imprint, leading you to believe you’ll fail again.
- Neocortex (The Thinking Brain): The newest and most advanced part of the brain, the neocortex, handles higher-order functions like reasoning, planning, and problem-solving. While it gives us the ability to challenge our limiting beliefs, it often gets overruled by the emotional and instinctual responses of the limbic and reptilian brains.
Limiting beliefs are a result of these three systems working together—your reptilian brain identifies a threat, your limbic system reinforces it with emotion, and your neocortex rationalises it into a belief.
- How Limiting Beliefs Take Root: The Interplay of Brain and Experience
Limiting beliefs don’t appear overnight. They are the product of repeated experiences, emotional conditioning, and environmental reinforcement:
- Childhood Conditioning:
Early life experiences shape the foundation of our beliefs. For instance, being told repeatedly as a child that you’re “not good at math” creates a neural pathway in the limbic system, reinforced over time until it becomes a belief. - Emotional Triggers and Memories:
The limbic system stores emotionally charged memories. A single failure can evoke feelings of shame or inadequacy, embedding a belief that you’re not capable of succeeding in similar situations. - Reinforcement through Rationalisation:
Once the neocortex gets involved, it begins justifying these beliefs. For example, if you avoid public speaking out of fear, the neocortex might rationalise it as, “I’m just not a good speaker,” even though it’s a skill that can be learned.
- The Science of Neuroplasticity: Rewiring Limiting Beliefs
The good news? Your brain isn’t static. Thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections, you can challenge and change limiting beliefs.
Here’s how each part of the brain plays a role in rewiring:
- Overriding the Reptilian Brain:
Practice mindfulness techniques like deep breathing or grounding exercises to calm the fight-or-flight response. By reducing the perceived threat, you can shift from reactive to proactive thinking. - Retraining the Limbic System:
Emotionally charged positive experiences can overwrite negative ones. For example, if public speaking scares you, starting with small, low-stakes opportunities can help your limbic system associate speaking with confidence rather than fear. - Engaging the Neocortex:
Challenge the rationalisations your neocortex creates for limiting beliefs. Techniques like cognitive reframing can help replace negative self-talk with empowering narratives. Instead of, “I can’t do this,” try, “I haven’t mastered this yet, but I can learn.”
- Self-Awareness: The Gateway to Transformation
Recognising your limiting beliefs is the first step in overcoming them. Self-awareness acts as a bridge between unconscious patterns and conscious change. Here’s how you can cultivate it:
- Journaling Your Thoughts:
Writing down recurring negative thoughts can help you identify patterns. For instance, if you often think, “I don’t deserve success,” explore where that belief originates and how it influences your decisions. - Meditation and Mindfulness:
Practices like meditation can help you observe your thoughts without judgment, creating a space to challenge them. - Feedback from Others:
Often, others can see the potential in you that you can’t see yourself. Seek feedback from trusted mentors or peers who can help you reframe your self-perception.
- Practical Steps to Break Free and Redefine Your Mindset
Once you’ve identified your limiting beliefs, take action to replace them with empowering ones:
- Start Small: Tackle one belief at a time. If you believe you’re not a leader, start by taking on small leadership roles and gathering positive experiences to reinforce a new belief.
- Visualise Success: The brain responds to visualisation as if it’s a real experience. Visualising yourself succeeding can help rewire the neural pathways associated with failure or fear.
- Celebrate Progress: Each time you challenge a limiting belief, acknowledge and celebrate your growth. Positive reinforcement strengthens new neural connections.
- Becoming the Best Version of Yourself
Breaking free from limiting beliefs isn’t just about overcoming obstacles; it’s about stepping into your true potential. By understanding the role of the reptilian brain, limbic system, and neocortex, you can better navigate the interplay of fear, emotion, and rationality.
- Shift from Reactivity to Intention:
Instead of reacting instinctively to challenges, approach them with curiosity and intentionality. Ask yourself, “What belief is holding me back?” - Embrace Growth Over Perfection:
The brain thrives on learning and adaptation. Every step you take toward challenging a limiting belief is a step toward becoming a better version of yourself.
To wrap up this piece, I’d say Mastering your mind starts with your belief system. Self-awareness is the catalyst for transformation, guiding you to see beyond fear and doubt into a realm of possibilities. With practice and perseverance, you can transcend your limiting beliefs, empowering yourself to lead with confidence, authenticity, and purpose. Thank you for making time to read.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
Extending beyond academia; Ankoor has been honoured with the "CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE 2024" award by Passion Vista and recognized as the "MAN OF EXCELLENCE, 2024" by the prestigious Indian Achievers' Award. Additionally, he received the "LEADER 2.0 AWARD, 2023" from adgully and was named a "DIGITAL KAIZEN LEADER by DigiAdCon 2024”, Dr. Dasguupta's contributions to the field of marketing are widely acclaimed, marking him as an inspiring thought leader in his domain. Ankoor is also a member of IMA India’s CMO Forum.
Most recently Dr. Dasguupta has been selected and felicitated with the national level award -Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Inspiration Award 2024 in the category Youth Icon of the Year.
Dr. Dasguupta is a key member of the esteemed International CMO Council and keeps delivering lectures at top Business Schools and also colleges at University of Delhi. As an industry expert, Ankoor has also been a member of the interview panel at MICA for their PGP Group Exercise & Personal Interview PI process for PGDM-C/PGDM selection for two consecutive years. Dr. Dasguupta is also on the Advisory Board of the Marketing Department at ISBR Business School, Bangalore. Recognized by DMA Asia as a marketing Ace, Dr. Dasguupta is a LinkedIn Top Voice, advocate of social impact, driven by kaizen, Ankoor believes in the power of Energy and Energize
Dr. Ankoor is practicing his PCC (Level 2) coaching from the gold standard International Coaching Federation [ICF]. He is a people's person and has worked across functions in senior leadership positions in marketing, advertising, media & communication with a pedigree of 24 years and ongoing exciting journey. Trained from Dale Carnegie in Mentoring to Develop Talent, Ankoor is a marketing practitioner, a coach, a knowledge manager, a team builder, a thought-leader, an avid writer with close to 100 published articles / interviews and is a Thought Leader. Dr.Ankoor wears the hat of a CMO as well. His leisure pursuits are reading, effective listening and percussion. Follow Dr. Ankoor Dasguupta on LinkedIn| https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankoordasguupta/
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