Change Quote by Marshall Goldsmith
“Our inner beliefs trigger failure before it happens. They sabotage lasting change by canceling its possibility. We employ these beliefs as articles of faith to justify our inaction and then wish away the result. I call them belief triggers.”
About This Quote
Self‑defeating beliefs act as mental roadblocks that pre‑emptively cause failure, allowing us to rationalize inaction and block lasting change.
In simple terms: Self‑sabotage through limiting beliefs
Key Takeaway
Beliefs can pre‑emptively undermine success
Themes
self‑awareness
psychology
behavior change
motivation
cognitive bias
Mood
reflective
cautious
motivational
Type
advice
observation
psychological insight
When to use this quote
- coaching sessions
- personal development workshops
- organizational change initiatives
- therapy
- leadership training
Key Concepts
belief triggers
self‑fulfilling prophecy
mental models
Practical Applications
- identifying and reframing limiting beliefs
- designing interventions to counteract self‑sabotage
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence do you have that your belief is a cause rather than a symptom?
- How might you test the impact of a belief trigger on your behavior?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that external constraints, not just internal beliefs, are the primary drivers of failure.
![“[W]e have an automatic tendency to pay attention to or seek out information that is in agreement with (confirms) our preconceptions, and to ignore, distort or avoid information that contradicts (disconfirms) our preconceptions, a tendency that is called the confirmation bias. The confirmation bias…” quote by Wadsworth Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0c2/wadsworth-publishing-194058_critical-thinking_w-e-have-an-automatic-tendency-to-pay-at_518612.jpg)
