Limited Thinking & Medium 100 followers

How my limiting beliefs stopped me from quickly getting 100 followers on Medium.

I was sick and I did not know.

I suffered from a disease known as “Limited Thinking”. The worst part was that I had no idea that I had a problem even though it was obvious in hindsight.

How did I realize that I was sick?

I found out I had a problem a month and a half into my writing journey on Medium and Twitter.

Here’s the story:

Most new writers on Medium try to get to 100 followers so that they can apply to Medium’s Partner Program. For some reason, I thought that I had to write at least ten articles or be on the platform for at least two months before I could get 100 followers. No one told me this. I came up with that brilliant idea all by my lonesome self.

So, you can imagine my amazement when I saw someone with over 100 followers who had not written any articles. And if that was not bad enough, I read an author’s work where he said that he had gained over 100 followers in one week.

I had ‘limiting’ beliefs about what was possible for me. It is quite sad that I never even questioned myself about these beliefs. It was only when I saw evidence that what I believed was inaccurate that I was forced to confront and challenge my beliefs.

There is a way to do things and there is a way to win. And I was not in the winning section with my beliefs.

What is a limiting belief?

Here is a definition that I found and loved:

“A limiting belief is a thought or state of mind that you think is the absolute truth and stops you from doing certain things. These beliefs don’t always have to be about yourself, either. They could be about how the world works, ideas, and how you interact with people.” — What Are Limiting Beliefs (betterup.com)

The problem with limiting beliefs

Limiting beliefs, as the name suggests, limits you. They prevent you from taking action and trying new things.

In my case, I saw my belief as factual and so I never questioned if it was possible to get 100 followers quickly. And because I never questioned if it was possible, I never considered how it could be done.

I hindered my own success, making it harder than it needed to be.

“The only person standing in your way is you.” — Vincent Cassel

Limiting Beliefs that I have heard

Some of the most common limiting beliefs that people have told me about themselves are:

‘I am too old.’

‘I am too young.’

‘I have nothing of value to say.’

‘I am not qualified enough.’

Trust me, I said a few of them too. But now I know better.

These beliefs may seem true to us, but they are not based on facts or reality. They are just stories that we tell ourselves, often unconsciously, based on our past experiences, fears, doubts, or assumptions. They do not help us to move forward. Instead, they cripple us.

How do you get rid of your limiting beliefs?

1.Well, the first step is to identify them. As with everything else, the first step is the hardest. There is no simple way to even recognize the limiting beliefs because they seem so natural and correct to us.

However, we can start by paying attention to our inner dialogue and noticing when we say or think something negative about ourselves or our situation.

You can also ask yourself questions like: What do I believe about myself? What do I believe about others? What do I believe is possible or impossible for me? Is there something that I can’t achieve? Is there a barrier between me and my goals?

“You can’t escape from a prison until you recognize you are in one. People who have chosen to live within the limits of their old beliefs continue to have the same experiences. It takes effort and commitment to break old patterns” — Bob Proctor

2. Once you have identified your limiting beliefs, you can challenge them by looking for evidence that contradicts them or supports a more positive belief.

For example, if you have a limiting belief that you are not smart enough, you can look for examples of when you have learned something new, solved a problem, achieved a goal, or received a compliment.

You can also find examples of people who have overcome similar challenges or limitations and use them as inspiration and proof that anything is possible.

In my case, I saw evidence that achieving 100 followers was possible without having written a lot of articles or spending a long time on the platform. This made me realize that I could have done it too.

3. The next step is to replace your limiting beliefs with empowering beliefs that support your growth. For example, instead of saying “I am not smart enough”, you can say “I am capable of learning anything I set my mind to”.

Instead of saying “I have nothing of value to say”, you can say ‘“I may have nothing to say about X as yet, but I will talk about Y while I learn about X.”

4. The final step is to take action to reinforce your empowering beliefs. You can do this by setting small and realistic goals that challenge your limiting beliefs and prove them wrong.

So, since it took me two months to get to 100 followers, it is now my goal to get the next 100 in less than one month.

Summary

Remember, limiting beliefs are not facts, they are just opinions that you have made your own over time. You can change them by:

becoming aware of them
challenging them
replacing them
reinforcing new beliefs

By doing so, you will free yourself from the mental barriers that keep you from living your best life.

“If you accept a limiting belief, then it will become a truth for you.” — Louise Hay

I found a useful resource written by Marisa Peer for anyone wanting to dive deeper and consider where your limited beliefs came from and the role of your subconscious mind. You can find her article here.

You can follow me on:

Twitter and LinkedIn where I share my ideas on personal development and my writing journey.

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