Using the Miracle Question to Identify Self-Limiting Beliefs & Unlock Your Writing Potential

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ve likely heard me talk about self-limiting beliefs and the damaging effects they have on a writer’s ability to finish their novel.

As a book coach with a background in mental health counseling, this is one of my favorite topics. Not only because it’s within my wheelhouse, but because I truly believe the reason more writers aren’t finishing their novels isn’t because they can’t write but because self-limiting beliefs prevent them from sitting down and putting in the work.

Self-limiting beliefs are beliefs we hold about ourselves or the world that limit our ability to be successful. Examples include telling yourself you’re not smart enough, you aren’t good enough, you don’t deserve to do this, or you don’t have enough time.

Unfortunately, these beliefs can be hard to catch because they’re often so ingrained in our minds that we tend to accept them as facts rather than opinions. This is where the miracle question comes in.

The miracle question is a technique used in counseling and coaching to help clients envision the ideal results they want and helps them identify ways to get from where they currently are to where they want to be. Though the premise of this technique is simple, it can be a powerful tool to uncover hidden self-limiting beliefs that may be holding a writer back from starting and/or finishing their novels.

What Is the Miracle Question?

The Miracle Question is a solution-focused therapy technique that poses a simple question to the client:

“Suppose tonight, while you sleep, a miracle happens and all your problems as a writer are solved, but you don’t know the miracle has happened. What do you notice in the morning that tells you something is different?”

The client will then reflect on the question and share what changes would tell her that her writing problems are gone.

Again, this sounds incredibly simple, and in a way, it is. But by phrasing the question in this way, by forcing the client to consider how things would look differently if this miracle occurred, she’s forced to look at things from a different perspective. Rather than saying “this is what I struggle with,” we’re instead asking her to identify what would be different. And, once we identify what would be different, we can then begin to look for solutions to help her get to that miracle-version of a morning rather than becoming bogged down in negative thinking and focusing on what is lacking.

Because this question is rather straightforward and focuses on positive changes, clients can often answer it much easier than if we were to instead ask them “what needs to change so you can complete your novel?” The Miracle Question bypasses resistance by focusing on positivity and allows clients to move into a solution-focused mindset.

How the Miracle Question Exposes Self-Limiting Beliefs

When a writer describes their “miracle morning” for me, what they’re really describing is what they wish they could do but can’t currently—because something is stopping them.

That something that is stopping them is often a self-limiting belief.

For example, if a writer tells me the first thing she notices is that she wakes up and immediately start writing without doubting her abilities, her self-limiting belief is likely something along the lines of “I’m not a good enough writer.”

If a writer tells me she stops comparing her writing to others, her self-limiting belief is likely “everyone else is ahead of me and I’ll never be as good as them.”

If she shares that she finds it easy to introduce herself as a writer without feeling like a fraud, her self-limiting belief likely revolves around not believing she is a real writer.

By looking at what would be a positive difference in that individual’s miracle morning, we can more clearly see what belief is interfering in her ability to do exactly what she describes herself doing in the miracle morning. Approaching it from a different perspective allows us to see the interfering beliefs more easily.

Using This Insight to Challenge and Reframe

One you spot the self-limiting belief that is holding you back from living your dream writing life, you can begin to question its validity.

Questions you can ask yourself to challenge the belief include:

· Where did this belief come from?

· Is it true 100% of the time? Or are there exceptions?

· What is the evidence that this belief is always true? Is there any evidence?

· What is the evidence that this belief may not always be true?

· What would be a more helpful belief?

This is where journaling can be incredibly helpful. By writing out your miracle question answer and then taking the time to reflect on the beliefs you uncover, you can begin to discredit these beliefs that have been negatively affecting you and you holding you back from writing.

Try It on Your Own

While the Miracle Question is useful in the context of coaching or counseling, it’s also something that can be done on your own. While it may be a little more challenging to clearly see the self-limiting beliefs in your own miracle morning rather than having a third party present to help identify them, if you take some time and agree to have an open mind, you can work through the Miracle Question on your own to uncover your self-limiting beliefs.

To do this, I’d suggest finding a time when you’re alone without distractions. Ask yourself the miracle question and then write down your answer. Go into as much detail as you possibly can—we’re writers, so really focus on showing the morning.

Once you’ve written out your detailed miracle morning (or day), read it over for clues. What is different in your miracle versus your present everyday life? Pull out those details and then journal on what is preventing you from that being your reality.

Once you’ve identified the self-limiting beliefs, write them out and counter them with new beliefs that would be more helpful. For example, if your self-limiting belief is “I’m not a real writer because I haven’t published anything yet,” your new belief might be “I am a writer because I write. All writers begin by being unpublished.”

While self-limiting beliefs are often at the core of our writing struggles, they can be difficult to catch on our own due to the fact that they are internal and often mask as facts. The good thing about self-limiting beliefs is that, once we’re aware of them, they are fully within our control to change. However, the first step to overcoming these beliefs is awareness, and the Miracle Question is a gentle, imaginative way to start reflecting on your dream writing life and what might be standing in your way.

I’d love to hear your miracle answers and what self-limiting beliefs you uncover! Feel free to share them in the comments and/or message them to me directly. And, if you want some support in uncovering and reworking your beliefs, I’d love to help you!