Hi, I’m Marcus. I’m 29, and I run a small but growing digital marketing business. It’s something I’m proud of now, but if you’d told me five years ago I’d be here, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Why? Because for most of my life, I let limiting beliefs run the show. Every time I thought about starting my own business—the thing I’ve dreamed of doing since I was a kid—I’d talk myself out of it. I wasn’t smart enough, experienced enough, or financially secure enough to pull it off. At least, that’s what I told myself.

What I didn’t realize back then was that these thoughts weren’t facts. They were stories—limiting beliefs I’d picked up over the years. And they were holding me back more than any external obstacle ever could.

Identifying Limiting Beliefs

Limiting beliefs are tricky because they hide in plain sight. They don’t announce themselves as false ideas. Instead, they blend into your thoughts, disguised as “truths.” For me, they sounded like this:

• “You’re not the kind of person who runs a business.”

• “You don’t have enough money to make this work.”

• “You’ll probably fail, and people will think you’re a joke.”

For years, I didn’t even question these thoughts. They felt like hard facts. It wasn’t until I started journaling about why I was so afraid to take the leap that I realized just how much these beliefs were controlling me.

One belief that really stood out was rooted in a memory from my childhood. When I was 10, I tried to sell custom bookmarks I’d made at school. I was so excited, but by the end of the day, I’d only sold two—and one was to my teacher. My dad picked me up and joked, “Not much of a businessman, huh?” He meant it lightheartedly, but it stuck with me. I internalized it as: You’re not good at business. Don’t even try.

Challenging the Stories

Once I started recognizing these limiting beliefs, I had to do the hard work of questioning them. I asked myself: Are these stories really true?

Take the belief, “You’re not the kind of person who runs a business.”

• I asked myself, What does that even mean? There’s no single “type” of person who runs a business. Successful entrepreneurs come from all walks of life.

Or the belief, “You’ll probably fail, and people will think you’re a joke.”

• I thought, So what if I fail? Failure doesn’t mean I’m a failure as a person. It means I tried, learned, and can try again.

When it came to “You don’t have enough money,” I reframed it. I didn’t need a huge bank account to start. I could begin small, learn as I went, and reinvest any earnings.

Replacing Limiting Beliefs with Empowering Truths

Once I challenged the old stories, I replaced them with new ones:

• Old Belief: “You’re not experienced enough to run a business.”

  • New Truth: “Experience comes from action. The best way to gain experience is to start.”

• Old Belief: “You’ll probably fail.”

  • New Truth: “Failure is a stepping stone to success. Every entrepreneur fails—it’s part of the process.”

• Old Belief: “You don’t have enough money.”

  • New Truth: “I can start small and scale over time. Resources will come as I grow.”

I wrote these new truths down on sticky notes and put them on my mirror and desk. Seeing them every day helped me internalize them.

Taking Action Despite Fear

Even with my new mindset, fear didn’t disappear. I still felt anxious when I took my first steps—building a website, putting myself out there, pitching clients. But instead of letting the fear stop me, I acted alongside it.

At first, progress was slow. My first client didn’t come for weeks, and I spent a lot of time doubting myself. But instead of giving up, I leaned on my new narrative:

• “Every step I take is progress.”

• “Consistency will pay off.”

• “I’m learning as I go, and that’s enough.”

Eventually, the momentum built. Clients started coming in, and I began to see the results of my efforts.

What I Learned

Looking back, I realize the biggest battle wasn’t against the competition, the market, or a lack of funding. It was against myself. The limiting beliefs I carried were my greatest obstacle. Rewriting those stories wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.

If you’re struggling with self-doubt, I encourage you to start by asking:

1. What beliefs are holding me back?

2. Where did these beliefs come from?

3. Are they really true—or can I rewrite them?

Because here’s the truth: The story you tell yourself matters. And the best part? You have the power to rewrite it.

Final Thoughts

Today, I’m running a business I’m proud of. I’m not where I want to be yet, but I’m far from where I started. The process of rewriting my inner narrative isn’t something I did once and forgot about—it’s something I continue to work on every day.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: your limiting beliefs don’t define you. What you do to challenge and replace them does.

So, take that first step. Write a new chapter. You might be surprised at how much you’re capable of.