"I'm Not the Type of Person Who…": Identity Statement or Limiting Belief?
How many times have you heard (or said), “I’m not the type of person who asks for help,” or “I’m not the type of person who sticks to routines,” or *“I’m not the type of person who succeeds at things like that”?
At first glance, it sounds like a simple self-assessment. But under the surface, this phrase often reveals something deeper — a quiet belief that limits who we allow ourselves to become.
So, is “I’m not the type of person who…” an honest reflection of identity — or a limiting belief in disguise?
Let’s explore.
Identity Statement or Limiting Belief?
The answer is: it can be both.
Identity gives us structure and stability — a way to define who we are in the world. But identity is also shaped by experience, family narratives, and cultural norms. Over time, identity can solidify around outdated or unchallenged beliefs. What once felt like self-awareness can become self-containment.
That’s when identity becomes limitation.
When we repeat “I’m not the type of person who…”, we’re often reinforcing an old script — one that may not even be ours to begin with.
Where These Beliefs Come From
Early messages: Maybe someone once told you, “You’re not creative,” and you took it as fact.
Past experiences: One failure becomes a lifelong label — “I’m not the type of person who can lead.”
Family or cultural conditioning: Sometimes we inherit unspoken rules — “We’re not the kind of people who take risks,” or “People like us don’t do that.”
Fear and safety: Holding on to an old identity can feel safer than stretching into something new.
Changing the Belief: It’s More Than Affirmations
Positive affirmations have their place, but on their own, they’re not enough.
To truly shift a limiting belief, it’s not just about saying something new — it’s about living it.
You can tell yourself, “I am worthy of success,” but until you begin making choices, setting boundaries, and taking risks that reflect that worthiness, the old belief still runs the show.
Behavior has to align with belief. And when it doesn’t yet feel natural, we begin by practicing — not perfection, but evidence.
Here’s how to go deeper:
1. Practice the Affirmation in Real Life
If the old belief is, “I’m not the type of person who speaks up,”
then the practice becomes: Start speaking up — even just once a day, even just a little.
If the belief is, “I’m not the type of person who takes care of myself,”
then the practice becomes: Make one nourishing choice today that reflects the opposite.
Each action reinforces the new identity through embodied experience.
2. Flood Your Mind with Opposite Narratives
The brain needs more than words — it needs examples. One powerful way to rewire belief is by exposing yourself to people, stories, and ideas that contradict your limiting identity.
Read books by people who’ve done what you think you can’t do.
Listen to podcasts that inspire new ways of thinking.
Surround yourself with people who reflect the version of you that you’re becoming.
Collect “proof” that the opposite of your belief is possible — and happening, all around you.
Every new input becomes a vote for the new identity.
Reframing the Narrative
Instead of saying:
“I’m not the type of person who asks for help.”
Try: “I haven’t always asked for help, but I’m learning to.”
Instead of:
“I’m not the type of person who can make money doing what I love.”
Try: “That’s what I believed, but I’m opening up to new possibilities.”
This isn’t wishful thinking. This is the work of reshaping your reality — one practiced belief at a time.
A Final Thought
Identity isn’t fixed. It’s fluid. It’s authored and re-authored with every thought, every choice, every new experience.
Next time you hear yourself say, “I’m not the type of person who…”, pause.
Ask yourself:
Is this true — or just familiar?
Where did I learn this?
What’s the opposite belief — and what would it feel like to practice it today?
You are allowed to evolve. You are the type of person who grows.