Breaking Free from Limiting Beliefs

You see impossible. I saw the finishing line.

By Patrick M. Tarpey

"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win."— Roger Bannister

I’ve got a running vest somewhere from the London Marathon. On it:

"You see impossible, I saw the finishing line."

So I had to find it and try it on — it’s been a while.

Lo and behold, it still fits, a bit more snug than before, but it fits.

That line’s been sat on my chest for the best part of two decades, and I still don’t think I’ve lived up to it. Technically, I beat the world champion that year — Haile Gebrselassie started, pulled out after a few miles in the heat, and I finished.

Don’t ask about the rest of the race.

I got overtaken on the Mall by someone dressed as a slice of pizza.

Seeing the Impossible

You see impossible. I saw the finishing line.

Except most days, if I’m honest, I see the impossible too.

That’s the whole problem with limiting beliefs — the vest doesn’t stop you from seeing what everyone else sees. It just asks whether you’re going to let that be the last word.

Roger Bannister's Four-Minute Mile

Roger Bannister asked the same question, with rather higher stakes.

For decades, running a mile in under four minutes was considered a physical impossibility. Doctors said the body would fail.

Then, in Oxford in May 1954, he ran 3:59.4 — and the barrier didn’t just get broken.

It stopped existing.

When "Impossible" Changes

Here’s the bit that actually matters.

Forty-six days later, John Landy beat Bannister’s time.

By 1965, schoolboys were doing it.

Today, over 1,400 people have run a sub-four-minute mile.

Once one person stopped seeing the impossible as the finish line, everyone else’s "impossible" got a lot more negotiable.

Your Limiting Beliefs

Your limiting beliefs work the same way:

• "I’m not good enough."

• "There’s no money in this."

• "I can’t put my prices up."

They feel like facts.

They’re just the impossible, staring back at you.

The question is whether you’re still looking at the finish line.

What Belief Are You Ready to Stop Agreeing With?

What’s the belief you’re ready to stop agreeing with?

If you'd like to explore it properly, I'd be delighted to have a conversation with you. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective and the right questions to help you see what's really possible.

Call: 01902 214323Email: patrick@magnitude.biz

Or visit Magnitude to learn more about how we help individuals, leaders and businesses unlock their potential and achieve lasting growth.