🛑 I asked 887 people what’s holding them back

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Hi, I’m Nir.

Last month, I asked 887 high performers the following question:

“What’s one belief that often stops you from doing the thing you want to do?”

The responses were both unsurprising and revealing. Across industries and countries, the same five beliefs kept surfacing:

#1: “I probably won’t succeed.” (Fear of Failure)

This is the classic limiting belief that results in a “fear of failure.” In my upcoming book Beyond Belief, I share how this belief is one of the core pillars of motivation. When you don't believe your effort will lead to results, you won't persist. You might know exactly what to do and desperately want the outcome, but without belief that your actions matter, you'll quit before reaching your potential.

#2: “I’m not good enough.” (Lack of self-trust)

Lack of self-trust is a core wound that underlies limiting beliefs like:
“I’m not capable,”
“I’m not ready,” or
“I don’t have what it takes.”

#3: “It has to be perfect, or it’s not worth sharing.” (Perfectionism)

Perfectionism often masquerades as high standards, which can be both a blessing and a curse for high performers. It keeps brilliant work locked in drafts, businesses stuck in planning mode, and careers stalled at “almost ready.”

#4: “I won’t follow through…so why start?” (Expected procrastination)

Research in Beyond Belief shows that procrastination isn't a discipline problem; it's a belief problem. When you don't believe your effort will matter, your brain shuts down before you finish and enters you into a belief loop:  When you don’t believe your effort will pay off, your brain protects you by delaying the discomfort.

#5: “I can’t have more without sacrificing something.” (Scarcity)

This one often shows up as trade-offs that feel non-negotiable: time, stability, family, safety. Example from the data: “I believe I can’t change my job without sacrificing family time, money, or stability.”

These beliefs rarely exist in isolation. A single belief is really part of a larger system: 

In my new book Beyond Belief (out 10 March 2026), I reveal exactly how limiting beliefs get installed in your brain and how to replace them with liberating ones that actually work.

If this sounds interesting to you, you can preorder if here.

Believe,
Nir

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