Have you ever dreamed of doing something different or exploring new opportunities? Many times, it’s not that we don’t know what we want; we’re afraid to pursue it.
At first, we can be enthusiastic and determined. However, when our familiar mental roadblocks show up, progress slows and we get stuck in that proverbial rut.
Here is a list of 7 common mental barriers that can be your friends not your foes. They can thoughtfully point out what you need to outgrow to achieve what you want. Let them guide you toward, not derail you from a more successful path forward.
- Conflicting Information:
The world bombards us with conflicting information and advice that can lead to confusion and indecision, making it difficult to take action.
Welcome this barrier as an opportunity to develop your discernment muscle to identify reliable sources and balance extremes.
- Fear of Missing Out (FOMO):
Often, our efforts are thwarted by the drive to cling to familiar routines and habits, even when they are detrimental to our dreams.
This barrier is a chance to prioritize what is important and say no to distractions that don’t align with your aspirations.
- Immediate Gratification:
Who doesn’t love a quick fix? However, they often fail to deliver the fulfillment and satisfaction we crave in the long run.
This barrier asks you to act according to your values, not expediency, for a sense of purpose and direction that will sustain your motivation and commitment over time.
- Cost:
All positive change has a financial, emotional or time-related cost that can feel like too high a price to pay.
Let this barrier push you to reframe your mindset about the benefits you will gain from these costs. Focus more on all you will receive in exchange for the resources you spend.
- Fear of Failure:
The potential for failure can undermine our confidence and self-belief, making it challenging to initiate change.
Allow this barrier to help you focus more on progress than perfection, knowing that desiring perfection is the only failure because nothing is perfect.
- Guilt:
When we put others’ needs ahead of our own, we can feel guilty about pursuing what matters to us.
This barrier asks you to honor your dreams and desires to be a role model of accountability that others can look up to.
- Drastic Measures:
Attempting radical, overnight change in a show of willpower and force leads to burnout and frustration, derailing progress in the long run.
Embrace this barrier as a chance to relax into small wins, reinforcing positive, sustainable change over time.
Mental barriers can be the perfect training ground where you work out what you need to achieve the next level of success. You may have heard the phrase the solution lies in the problem. The idea is that these roadblocks are not obstacles but opportunities to retrain your thinking.
Make friends with what gets you stuck. Your success might just depend on the quality of that friendship.
Until next week, take good care.
Jo-Aynne Von Born, Leadership and Executive Coach
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