Limiting Beliefs: The Lies that Build Your Life Inspired By Niccolo Machiavelli

Imagine being born into a world where who you are and what you believe has already been decided for you, without your input. The truth is, that is the world we’re born into. From the moment a child steps into a classroom, they enter a system where their sense of value becomes conditional. It depends on red ink, raised hands, and whether they give the “right answer.” And what’s considered “right” is predetermined by the system, not discovered through critical thinking. This is the beginning of an indoctrination into validation-seeking—a limiting belief that can follow someone for the rest of their life.

Our modern school system is an antiquated system that is designed for a time that is far behind us and is no longer suitable for the era we are in. On the surface, it seems like children are being taught how to read, how to do math, and how to understand science. But beneath that surface, they’re also being taught who they’re allowed to be. The rule-followers are celebrated. The ones who think differently are labeled as troublemakers. Over time, students begin to believe that their worth is determined by authority figures instead of their own purpose or belief in themselves. That’s how limiting beliefs begin to take shape. “I’m not smart enough.” “I’ll never get it.” “I’m not good at learning.” These aren’t just doubts. They’re internal control mechanisms, planted early and reinforced constantly.

When you don’t know it’s a trap, you start to believe the cage is home.

I don’t believe this is something teachers or school administrators are doing on purpose. The limiting beliefs we carry are byproducts of a system that was designed to create adults who don’t think for themselves. Today, limiting beliefs have become a self-protective psychological strategy. People adopt them to avoid failure, judgment, or rejection. This mirrors something Machiavelli wrote—the idea that a ruler should appear a certain way, even if it’s not true, to maintain control. Just like that, many of us appear unmotivated or incapable, not because we are, but because it’s safer than facing the consequences of actually trying. And when this mindset is reinforced at home, the family becomes the second classroom.

If school teaches us to seek validation, family often teaches us that love is tied to performance. Whether intentional or not, many parents reward compliance, punish emotional expression, and define success through grades, behavior, or achievements. You’ve probably heard things like, “Why can’t you be more like your sibling?” or “Don’t embarrass the family.” One of my favorites: “Respect your teachers because they’re adults.” These phrases may seem harmless, but they repeat the same message kids hear in school: who you are is not enough on its own. You must perform to earn your worth.

What begins in the classroom is often reinforced at home. That’s how limiting beliefs take root. And the hardest part? It's invisible. It hides behind statements like, “I just want to make my parents proud” or “I don’t want to disappoint them.” By the time you’re an adult, it’s not your teachers or your parents telling you what you can or can’t do. It’s you.

Machiavelli once said, “The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.” That quote is usually interpreted in a political context, but through the lens of personal development, it says something deeper. Most people aren’t being attacked—they’re being trapped. They aren’t running from wolves. They’re caught in mental traps they were never taught to recognize. And when you don’t know it’s a trap, you start to believe the cage is home.

“Knowing what you’re here to do means rejecting what the system conditioned you to believe.”

The fox sees the system clearly. It’s designed to reward conformity and punish difference. The lion doesn’t ask for permission to exist. He doesn’t wait for applause before he makes a move. The fox navigates. The lion advances. Together, they show us something deeper: purpose takes both awareness and courage. Because knowing what you’re here to do and choosing to go after something bigger than yourself means rejecting everything the system conditioned you to believe.

Like The 48 Laws of Power, Machiavelli’s The Prince is often mistaken for a manual on how to manipulate people. But if you read it closely, you’ll notice something familiar. It’s about how belief and perception are used to manage behavior. In The Prince, deception wasn’t just allowed—it was advised. Because perception shapes action, and that kind of control is often more powerful than truth. Our education system still carries those ideas. And in the process, it robs many children of their purpose and their ability to discover why they’re here. It takes away their natural desire to contribute to something greater than themselves.

The real tragedy? Most people never realize the conditioning even happened. They don’t see how systems built for order, obedience, and efficiency quietly replaced their sense of purpose with a craving for acceptance.

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Episode 9 | Limited Beliefs: The Lies that Build Your Life

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Written by:
Courtney Lewis