Who Would You Be If You Stopped Waiting For Permission?
I want you to think about a dream you have that feels a little too big for you right now. For example, while I was waiting for a publisher to pick up my book, I didn’t feel like an author. I thought being chosen would give me that feeling. I didn’t even realize I had the ability to crown myself as an author all along. Nobody had more power to give myself that title, than myself. I talk a lot about the importance of choosing yourself in business. But before you can be fully comfortable choosing yourself, we need to work on banishing the limiting beliefs that may be holding you back.
Let’s start by breaking down some of the limiting beliefs that hold us back.
I’m not good enough.
In my experience, this is the number one reason women hold themselves back. They’re convinced that they aren’t good enough, fit enough, smart enough, or skilled enough to do what they want to do. The truth is, there are people out there with less talent, and less experience than you, crushing it. Why? Because they decided to start. You get better as time goes on. Acquire the basic skills you need to get started on your path with some level of confidence, and then let go of the “perfectionist mindset” and get to work.
It’s not the right time.
Zig Ziglar once said, “If you wait for all the lights to turn green, you’ll never leave your driveway.” There is never a “perfect” time to begin any new adventure. You become more and more equipped for the journey while you’re on it. That’s where you pick up speed. If I had waited until I felt the time was “right” to self-publish, I would not be here today, writing my 9th book. If I had waited for permission from a publisher to write my book, I’d never have written anything at all. Whenever I tell someone I’ve already published 8 books, I’m met with an audible gasp and a “OMG! How did you do that?” I started. That’s it. Simply put – I did the work. The best way to dismantle the belief that it’s “not the right time” is to set a goal with a timeline for yourself. For example, “I will start promoting my new business by X date” – and then stick to it. Hold yourself accountable to your goal and know that there will never be a better time than right now.
What if I fail?
I want you to think about a woman out there who is killing it right now in her business – someone who inspires you daily. Imagine if she never got started because she was afraid she might fail? My dear friend Noa often reminds me to stop thinking thoughts that scare me. We can choose to focus on all the things that can go wrong, but what if we started to imagine everything that could go right? Life changes when we let optimism rule.I was chatting with one of the riders in my spin class the other day. She’s a comedian and she really wants to write a book about her life. I asked her what’s stopping her, and she said she keeps asking herself, “Who am I to write a book?” I asked her if she had stories to tell. She said yes. Then I told her, “Great! You’re an author. Now start writing.”
The fastest way to plow through self-doubt is with action. When I struggled with writer’s block, I sat down at the computer every day and wrote anyway – even if it sucked and I wound up re-writing it all. When I worried if my best work was in my past, I moved forward regardless and kept creating new work. Despite my fears, I am an author. I crowned myself years ago, and I remind myself of my power daily.
What is one action step you can take today to get closer to your dreams? How can you start to move forward? Who would you be if you took those steps?
Remember: nobody holds the power to grant you permission to create the world you want for yourself. Nobody is coming to save you, to crown you, or to push you toward it all.
It’s on you babe. That’s probably the most overwhelming, but liberating fact of them all.
Now get to work.
With love and movement,
Cara