List of Negative Core Beliefs and its Positive Counterbelief

In last week’s article, we talked about how to change your beliefs. And perhaps you’ve already found some negative core beliefs that you’ve started to work on.

For those of you who are having more difficulty identifying these types of beliefs, don’t worry. This article is for you.

Because in this article, I will reveal some of the most common negative beliefs. Including the negative beliefs that I’ve experienced myself and overcome.

And I will also provide you with a bit of context and a positive counter belief so that you can change your beliefs successfully too!

Let’s dive in!

List of General Negative Beliefs

1. I’m a failure in life. No one is a failure in life. Instead, failure is part of a successful life. It means you’re challenging yourself. The only true failure is to give up.

• Failure is the greatest lesson in life and I’ll become stronger and wiser because of it.

2. I don’t have any purpose. According to Eckhart Tolle, the primary purpose of every individual is to be present in the now. To have full awareness of every moment, rather than worrying about the future or regretting the past. 

• My primary purpose is being. My second purpose is anything I wish it to be. 

3. I’m worthless and will never become successful. No matter the circumstances, everyone can improve the life of another human being. That fact alone makes everyone worthy of living.

• I’m unique and I have a unique gift to share with the world.

4. I’m never going to be happy. Happiness is the result of focusing on your journey, growth, and pushing yourself through challenges. 

• By focusing on my journey, happiness will arise.

5. I’m too busy. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. How you decide to spend your time is completely up to you. 

• I decide how I spend my 24 hours. 

6. I’m too young. You’re never too young to start working on where you want to be later. Start with what’s in your control, rather than focusing on what’s not. What’s a habit you can pick up right now?

• I can start learning the skill now that I need later.

7. I’m too old. You’re never too old to start doing what will bring you the most joy. 

• Until the last second I breathe, I’m young enough to act.

8. I’m not smart enough. By comparing yourself to others, you’ll always find someone smarter. Besides, what’s the type of smart you measure anyway? IQ smart? Emotional intelligent smart? Booksmart? 

• I’m already smart and can become even smarter every day.

In Relationships

1. I will never find anyone to share my life with. Hey, if there is someone who is crazy enough to share their life with me, there’s someone out there for you too! 

• I will attract someone to share my life with.

2. I’m not worthy of love. Every human deserves love, but it starts with self-care. Start to love yourself and others will follow. Here’s a great book to help you step-by-step.

• I love and accept myself. 

3. I’m too ugly for love. Real ugly is the fact that you put yourself down like this. Stop being so harsh on yourself. Because when you start by loving yourself, you’ll attract love.

• I love and accept myself. 

4. I suck at dating, so I don’t do it. Guess what? Almost everyone sucks at dating. It’s scary to meet new people. Yet, the things that scare you the most, is what will bring you the most joy as well. 

• I enjoy the process of connecting, and even though I may suck now, I get better over time.

5. I’m awkward in conversations. Engage in conversations with people that enjoy the same things as you and who are like-minded. Even though it’s scary at first, your conversations will improve.

• I enjoy the process of connecting with like-minded people.

6. People don’t like me. Often this irrational thought comes from a place of self, rather than others. Improve your relationship with yourself and you’ll discover that many people like you too.

• I love and accept myself and I will attract other people.

7. Honesty will cause pain. Honesty sometimes requires short-term discomfort. But it’s the only solution for a strong long-term relationship.

• Despite short-term pain, honesty always wins in the end.

8. My family sucks and so do I. Even if this is true, you’re not defined by your family. You can break free and create the life that you want to live in.

• My family doesn’t define me.

In Career or Business

1. I’m not good enough. Don’t listen to anyone telling you that you’re not good enough. Read the story of Walt Disney or even Leonardo da Vinci for some inspiration. Focus on improving a little bit every day.

• I’m improving every day.

2. Everyone else is better than me. You’ll always find people worse and people better than you. Stop comparing yourself to others, but rather compare yourself to whom you were yesterday.

• I’m a little better than I was yesterday, and a little worse than I’ll be tomorrow.

3. I’m not adding any value. Everyone’s unique and everyone has a story and skills that make them valuable. And so do you. Start focusing on your strengths.

• I’m unique and I focus on my strengths to add value.

4. I have to do it perfectly. The trap of being perfect is a common one. Listen, nothing is ever going to be perfect. The world’s an imperfect place – and that’s exactly why it’s perfect.

• I’m giving my best and that’s what perfect is.

5. I could fail. Great! The fact that you can fail, means it’s an opportunity for you to grow. Because without failure, there’s likely no growth.

• Failure is the necessary ingredient to learning and success.

6. I don’t have the right education. The best education is self-education. You can tap into the minds of the most successful people alive for almost no money or even for free in libraries.

• I can educate myself.

7. I should sacrifice sleep to hustle more. The idea that you should sacrifice sleep is completely wrong. The better your sleep at night, the more productive you’re during the day. 

• I should find the right balance between enough sleep and the grind.

In Finances

1. I’m too poor to become successful. Often people who come from nothing are the only people who can truly become successful. Because those who have rich parents will always be seen as lucky kids even when they create their success.

• I can create my success despite circumstances.

2. Money is the root of all evil. Why does money get the blame? Long before money people who had power abused it. Good things happen when good people have money.

• If I’m a good person, having more money will help me to do more great things.

3. Rich people are selfish. Yes, some rich people are selfish. But there are a lot of rich people that commit many of their riches to philanthropy. 

• Deep down, rich people are no different than the average Joe.

4. Money corrupts. Money doesn’t corrupt, but money does amplify your true character. So, if you have good intentions and great character, having money is a good thing.

• Money doesn’t corrupt, but it does reveal true character.

5. Only people with money can be happy. Everyone is so obsessed with money, but money isn’t a means to an end. Certainly, money helps to some extent if you haven’t got enough for food and shelter. But real happiness comes from being. It comes from doing the things you enjoy.

• Happiness comes from loving the process.

6. Only people with money are successful. What success means to you is up to you to define. To me, it isn’t the numbers in your bank account. Success to me means to fall in love with your process.

• Money doesn’t define success. 

In Health

1. I’m incurable. The world holds many miracles for those who dare to believe. Read the stories in this book: healing happiness. I dare you to believe in hope and to have faith.

• Anything is possible for those who dare to believe.

2. My health will never get better. There’s always something you can improve. There are so many resources and options to try.

• If I focus on my health, I can improve it.

3. I’m a depressive human being. No human is a depressive being. Depression is a state and it can pass and will pass. Start by practicing some self-love by doing small things for yourself.

• No human is depressive at its core.

4. I’m defined by my condition. You’re defined by your actions, not your condition. Focus on making small improvements in any shape or form to prove this to yourself.

• Actions define you, not your condition.

5. I’m a weakling. I’m a weakling is what one believes, before they get strong. So even if it’s true that you’re weak right now, you can get stronger. 

• I’m strong and grow stronger every day.

6. It’s too late to take care of myself. Read the earlier note on the limiting belief of being too old. As long as you’re breathing, you should take care of yourself.

• As long as I breathe, I must take care of myself.

7. I’m too busy to take care of my health. This is the dangerous looping so many get stuck in. You’re too busy to take care of yourself until you’re forced to do it. Don’t let it come that far.

• The busier I become, the more I must focus on my health.

What’s next?

Did you identify some self-limiting beliefs holding you back from living your best and most authentic life?

Self-awareness is the first step to change.

The next step is to challenge your perspectives and beliefs frequently. Doing so includes benefits like healthier relationships, more self-confidence, faster career advancement, and enhanced well-being.

Here are more resources to dive deeper:

• Most life-changing books to read
• Best guided journals to explore
• Double Your Confidence Course on Udemy

Take action: Use a journaling practice to raise self-awareness and compassion for the next 30 days. Wonder about the beliefs you may hold that don’t serve you.

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