So many people are not living up to their full potential. Maybe you are one of those who aren't. Have you ever wondered why?
One of the most common response I hear to the reason why, has to do with the topic of fear. Granted, this is a huge blockage. It gets in the way at almost every stage of personal development.
But I believe it's fear and something else, which I outlined below.
The issue of fear takes up so much of the conversation, the other issues get buried under the fear pile. These other issues even masquerade themselves as fear.
To get to the root cause of the fear we need to ask some deeper questions. One question could be, "fear of what?" followed up with "why is that a fear?"
This exercise would expose these three lies. They are the culprits hindering you from becoming the best version of yourself.
I believe this quote summarizes this exercise: "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." ― Marie Curie
Here are the three Culprits:
Culprit #1: The lie that you're not good enough
How often do we have this thought running through our heads? I know that I've had my share of dealing with it.
What makes someone good enough?
Most times, it is being well informed, educated and having adequate experience and expertise. This builds confidence, which leads to feeling "good enough."
So if we are feeling that we aren't good enough, our first step is to identify the source of the lie. Are they a reliable source? Sometimes, it is what someone have said or is saying about us.
TIP: A reliable source will not tell you you're not good enough.
Culprit #2: The lie that it's too late for you
How often this thought goes through your mind especially as the age-clock ticks on. As a person in midlife, this becomes more of an issue.
You begin to believe this lie because you are hearing it from so many sources including yourself. The pressure is both external and internal.
As you look at your past, the data seems to suggest that this is true. You haven't accomplished much at least to your standard.
You look around and see others making progress in their lives. This makes you feel as if you are a failure.
Here's some good news: people are living much longer than before. We are living in an informational and technological age. With your expertise and experience, you can do more in this stage of life than at any other time before.
Just take a look at history of how many people have done so in the latter years of their life. The list is endless.
Here are a few:
Ray Kroc was 52 years of age when he founded McDonalds. Harland Sanders was 62 years of age when he sold his Kentucky chicken franchise for $2 million. Wally Blume founded Denali ice cream at 57 years of age. There are more.
The point is, it's never too late and you have what it takes.
Culprit #3: The lie that you're selfish
How often have people not done what they know deep in their hearts they needed to do? The reason: they fear being labeled as selfish.
If you grew up in an environment that is more others-centered, you will feel this conflict when pursuing your dream. You might feel guilty for doing so. Others may place guilt-trips on you to keep you from going after your dream.
But if you are going to be successful in life, you must push through these feelings. Any attempt on your part to grow in your personal or professional life, requires that you, to some degree, be selfish.
Being selfish is not a bad thing if it is a "means to an end" rather than an end in itself. It's impossible to maximize your full potential without doing something that others might consider selfish.
I would like to hear which one of these culprits you've experienced and what you did to overcome them. If you haven't overcome any, which one do you find most challenging and why?
Earlier on Huff/Post50:
