Are you limiting yourself? Life is full of limits, we have laws, rules, and regulations that limit us from taking a specific action, and these are in place for our protection and the protection of others, they govern how we live to ensure a stable and tranquil society. However, there are also limitations that we put on ourselves and learned throughout our life; they can come in the form of habits, fears, or beliefs. They limit us from taking a specific action and path in our life.
Visualize to Breakthrough
On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister did something that no one thought was possible; he ran a mile in just under 4 minutes, a feat that expert at the time said was impossible. Yet, he achieved it in 3 minutes and 59 seconds. When asked how he did it, “he stated that he continually visualized himself running it in under 4 minutes.
What makes the Roger Bannister story interesting, is the fact that the reason no one ran a mile in under 4 minutes was that professional at the time thought it would overexert the heart, and you would die, and because many believed this, it limited them to breaking the 4-minute mile limit.
However, a year later, others began to break the 4-minute barrier. It only took one person to do it, to push others beyond the limit that was holding them from achieving it. Roger Bannister constant visualization pushed him to exceed the limit that others thought was impossible. You can learn more about Roger’s achievement at the Academy of Achievement
Break the Limits to Your Possibilities
We all know the story of Michael Phelps, who managed to rack up 28 medals at the Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio. He has set the record for the most medals won by an Olympic athlete, breaking 39 world records in the process.
Michael Phelps workout routine was anything but routine; he would practice 2 to 3 times a day, for 5 to 6 hours and would swim 50 miles a week. This systematic training enabled him to go beyond the swimming limits that others thought was impossible, and he has been clocked at speeds of 6 miles per hour, while the overage swimming speed is 2 miles per hour. Michael conditioned himself to go beyond the limits that others thought was impossible. You can learn more about the Phelps workout plan at Muscle Prodigy.
Break Through Your Limits
The Gazelle is a tiny creature, compared to its contemporaries, it lives in the hot deserts of Africa and Asia, this magnificent creature can run at speeds up to 40 MPH. It can leap more than 10 feet into the air. However, in captivity, this creature is held behind a wall only 3 feet high. The reason the Gazelle will not escape its bonds of captivity has nothing to do with training, rather because it cannot see on the other side of the wall; therefore, it will not jump to its freedom.
Unlike Roger Bannister, who visualized his achievement to break through his limit, the Gazelle is hindered by it, because it cannot see beyond the bounds of his walls. Don’t be like the Gazelle, who is bound by its limit because it cannot see beyond the barriers that held him there, instead visualize what’s beyond the wall and breakthrough it.
Limits and Your Environment
Unlike the Gazelle, no matter how many times I try, I will never be able to jump 10 feet into the air, unassisted, of course, because the law of gravity will prevent me from doing so. However, if I make that same attempt on the moon, I could achieve this with ease. Now I’m not saying go to the moon to jump 10 feet, but I’m saying that sometimes you must change your environment to overcome your limitations.
Richard was a business student who was struggling with one of his classes, and during one of our mentoring sessions, I confronted him about it. I told him that his economic professor came to see me and told me that he was barely passing his class. So, I asked him what’s going on and how I can help?” He told me he didn’t know, and that he was studying, but had a difficult time grasping the information.
Economics was one of my favorite subjects in college, but rather than committing to tutoring him. I wanted to know about his studying habits. He explained that he would study a couple of hours a night but wasn’t getting anywhere. I then asked how he was studying, and he stated that he would read through the textbook, take notes, try to memorize, etc. so I asked if I could come to observe his studying habits, and he agreed. When we got to his room, I heard a tremendous amount of noise outside the door to the room, and when we entered the room, what I’ve seen dropped my jaw to the floor.
Environmental Distractions
Richard was indeed studying in his dorm at night, he wasn’t lying about that, but what he failed to tell me was that he had two other roommates. The room was a mess (understated); the bedsheets were hanging from the corners of the window, and there was food on the floor that appeared to be dried Mac and cheese. The room had a desk that had a huge television screen, with a crack in the corner, I assumed it was either dropped several times, or it was hit by a game controller or two, and the room smelled like cheese and musty laundry that’s been sitting for weeks.
Among all the mess was his roommates; one was playing an online game yelling at someone on the other lend, and the other was on his cellphone; he was talking to his girlfriend. I only know this because he said things that I’m sure he wouldn’t say to his mom or even say in front of her. In this environment, it’s no wonder he couldn’t grasp anything he was studying because he was constantly bombarded with distractions. Especially since Richard was a gamer himself, thus making it difficult for him to sustain his focus.
I told Richard he has two options, work with his roommates to set up a time for studying and time for gaming or find another location to conduct his studies. Richard immediately said, “I’ll have to find another place because if I worked out a studying and gaming time here, I would still get distracted. Because my Xbox is right there (pointing to it), and I would get tempted to play it or get distracted by thinking what my team is doing online.
Richard did change his studying environment; he chose to study in a room at the school in the afternoons that was near the teachers’ conference room. The location was perfect because it was not only quiet and had no distractions, but every professor had to pass by that room for a meeting or to eat. When they saw him, they would speak to Richard and ask about his studies, which provided him the opportunity to not only asked questions but during this time, he also developed a relationship with many of the teaching staff that would last a lifetime. And if you are wondering, he indeed passed his economic class and increased his GPA significantly.
Visualize, Condition, and Change Your Environment
The moral of the story is simple; if you want to reduce your limits, sometimes you have to change your environment. You are the makeup of your environment and those around you, and if either of these doesn’t support your goals, then I recommend changing or removing them. Now, doing this may not come easy, because both daily influence us, they drive our decisions, behaviors, and outcomes.
Like Roger Bannister, we may have to look beyond our abilities and see what we can become to overcome our limitations or Michael Phelps, which teaches us that there are times we must condition ourselves to overcome our limitations. Like Richard, there may be times that we have to change or environment and equip ourselves to overcome the limitations that are holding us back from achieving our goals.
Limitation and Potential
The limits we put in our lives set the bar of our capability, but not our potential. Don’t put limits on your potential. A man who puts limits on his potential will achieve little. Because he has placed a cap on what he can accomplish, to say you can’t do something, when you know you have the capability of doing it, is not only lying to yourself but puts a limit on your potential to achieve it. A limit is a condition, a condition that restricts your ability to move forward with a specific action or goal, and as long as you retain the belief, habit, or fear of this limit, you will never break passed it.
By limiting yourself, you put yourself in a position that minimizes your potential, which will hold you back to achieving your goals; this includes limits that you allow others to place on you. It is important to note that no one can put limits on you without your permission; this includes passive consent. So, if someone tells you that you are incapable, dumb, or a failure, don’t let it dim your spirit, instead let it fuel your passion for achieving greatness. If someone tells you that you are inept, let that inspire you to mastery. Words only hurt if you hold on to them, let them go, and use them as stepping stones to success.
The Limit to Your Success is You
Les Brown said it best “The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the buts you use today ~ Les Brown. The limit to your success is you, the limit of your achievements is you, the limit of your ability is you, you are your limitation. You have to look beyond your horizon and see yourself bigger and better than you are today. What I’ve learned in life is the fact that we have no trouble believing in others, but we struggle believing in ourselves. We have within us to do far above our minds can imagine, so open your mind and explore the possibilities of your heart.