⛓️‍💥 Shatter Your Limiting Beliefs

Last week, I spoke about why your mindset is so important in achieving your desired ATAR. If you haven’t read that post yet, I’d highly recommend you do so before reading this one.

You can read it here: https://atardigest.beehiiv.com/p/importanceofmindset

In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain how to identify your limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering ones so that you can unlock your full potential and achieve a 95+ ATAR.

When you have limiting beliefs, you are being held down from achieving success. And if you let these beliefs stay in your head, you’ll always achieve disappointing marks and you won’t be able to improve.

I’ll tell you what’s crazy though?

The majority of students don’t even realise how limiting their own beliefs are!

And even when they do realise these beliefs, they don’t do anything about it. They just ignore it!

This is most likely you, and it was for me too.

Right now, you’re going to fix that.

4 Steps to Shattering Your Mental Barriers

Identify Your Belief Patterns

Try to recognise the recurring thoughts that you have when it comes to studying or school in general.

Do you often say ‘I can’t’ , ‘It’s impossible’ , ‘I am stupid’ or ‘I suck at maths?’

Reflect on the moments when you’ve felt limited or blocked. What did you say to yourself when you did poorly in an assignment or exam?

How did you react to getting questions wrong during your practice?

Write all these thoughts down.

Challenge Them

Don’t believe these thoughts that you have about yourself. Don’t let them stay in your head rent free!

Challenge these beliefs by questioning them.

Ask yourself:

• What made me start believing this?

• Is there anything to support this belief?

Then, identify the alternative interpretations and counter-evidence for these beliefs:

• Alternative interpretations: Think of another perspective/explanation for your negative thought (for example, maybe you only failed that maths exam because you left it too late? Maybe you didn’t end up scoring as high as you wanted because you made a silly mistake?)

• Counter-evidence: Identify evidence that contradicts or weakens the negative thought (e.g. positive feedback, scoring higher in previous exams, understanding the content easily, etc)

Reframe the Thought

For every limiting belief you have, create a positive empowering statement that contradicts it.

Examples:

• I suck at maths 👉 I am not good at maths yet, but I will be soon with more practice

• I am not smart enough to achieve a 90+ ATAR 👉 I AM smart enough to achieve anything (and I will score my goal ATAR)

• This is too hard 👉 Challenges help me improve

Revised, balanced thought: Make a more realistic and balanced thought based on the alternative interpretations and counter evidence. (e.g. “Yes, I didn’t score as high as I wanted to in my exam. However, this is only because I made a silly mistake. I can learn and improve by fixing this mistake.”)

Drench Your Mind with Positive & Empowering Beliefs

Create positive affirmations for yourself that counter your negative thoughts.

These statements are personalised to YOU and your personal limiting beliefs.

Here are some examples of my affirmations in year 11/12:

• “I can, I will and I must rank 1st”

• “I can, I will and I must get a 95 ATAR”

• “I have been, I am and I will become successful”

• “I am capable of anything”

• “I am confident”

• “I am a genius at maths”

• “I am a good writer”

✅ Action Steps for the Week

1. Identify Your Belief Patterns

2. Challenge Your Beliefs

3. Create a list of positive and empowering affirmations

4. Read your affirmations each morning and night

🧠 In the next edition, I’ll guide you on how to develop a strong, growth mindset

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Also, I’d appreciate it if you could reply to this email and give me feedback on today’s post. I want to help you out as much as I can, and your feedback will make this possible.

Have an awesome week!

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