By Erica Ross-Krieger, MA, BCC
“Are you interested in your own success
or committed to it?”
~ John Assaraf
When you’re interested in your own success, you dream a lot, wish a lot, hope a lot and focus on the roadblocks in your way. Thinking you’ll achieve success “someday”, you don’t even see that you’re the one actually putting up those roadblocks.
When you are committed to your success, you see clearly that the roadblocks are of your own making. You breathe, simply notice what you are doing, and in that moment of witnessing, you activate what Taming Your Gremlin author, Rick Carson, calls “The Zen Theory of Change.” Rick’s description of that theory is:
“I imprison myself not by trying to be free,
but by simply noticing how I am imprisoning
myself in the very moment I am imprisoning myself.”
~ Rick Carson
Get Wise to Your Roadblock Habits
Being clear about and getting wise to the top 5 ways you block success is important. When you stop and notice specifically what you’re doing, and that Zen Theory of Change starts shifting things, you can further the process by stepping in to remedy the situation. Here are the top ways you block success and the remedies for removing them:
Top 5 Self-Imposed Blocks
to Success & Remedies
- Block: Acting from current reality.
This is especially true for entrepreneurs who wanta full client load but are focused on how their businesses don’t have the client load they want. They make marketing efforts in a state of panic and scarcity, working like crazy to “get more clients.”
Remedy: It’s of great value for you to give your conscious attention to what you specifically want and summon the feelings of what you want, in the here and now, otherwise you can be swept up by the influence of that which surrounds you. (Caveat: this is not appropriate however in the case of an acute physical problem that requires immediate medical attention.)
For the desired state of a thriving entrepreneurial business, full coaching practice, or anything else, start from the inside out. Immerse yourself in the feelings of the desired state right now. This means summoning up the feeling of how it will be when the practice or business is already full so that you then can act from a state of ease and grace when you do take action.
Take 5 short minutes before you fall asleep at night to imagine this desired state as if it already exists. Do so until you can actually feel the peace, joy, calm, exhilaration (or whatever feelings and sensations you imagine that desired state will evoke for you) right then as you are lying there. Over time, this state will become more familiar and replace the feelings of scarcity. Actingfrom the feelings of the desired state already existing is what creates results. Guaranteed.
- Block: Using irresponsible semantics.
When you habitually say: “I can’t…”, “I never…” “I don’t have enough time for…” and repeat these statements as if they are the “truth”, you’re hypnotizing yourself into believing what you say. 99% of the time, unless there is an actual physical obstruction or limitation, these are not “true” statements.
Remedy: Develop the habit of using responsible semantics this week and empower yourself in the process. Adopt just one of the following statements and put it into practice for the next 28 days and increase the likelihood of a change: Say “I choose not to…” instead of “I can’t”. Say “Until now, I never____and now I am willing to___”; or say “Until now, I’ve not made the time for…” Watch what happens.
- Block: Acting like The Lone Ranger.Somewhere along the way, you might have adopted the attitude that you would “tough it out” or “go it alone” to prove that you could: 1) get it done the way you want it done if you do it yourself; or 2) do it faster if you do it alone, or maybe 3) show the world you’re capable and competent if you do it yourself. It really doesn’t matter why you went this route or what’s behind your habit of acting in a vacuum. Whatdoes matter is that you realize that successful people use a team.
Remedy: Call on all members of your team and lean into them. Your “asking for help” muscles may be a bit atrophied, so it’s time to put them to work. Start with the team you already have…and you do have a team. You just may not see it that way. Your children, your spouse, your partner, your friend, your bookkeeper, your business coach, your CPA, your on-line Twitter or FB community…that is what your team looks like right now. So, put those little-used muscles to work and delegate or ask for something from someone on your current team in the next 24 hours. Go! (You can make a conscious choice to expand your team soon enough.)
- Block: Relying solely on logic & ignoring your intuition.
We are multi-dimensional and multi-layered beings. We are gifted with brains and neurology we haven’t even begun to tap or appreciate. In this culture, we have learned and become really good at relying on our logic and left-brain strength. For many generations, we have let our intuition and right-brain muscles get lazy, and have even relegated them to “less important” status. The power of intuition and your right-brain gifts are amazing resources that you may well be neglecting.
Remedy: Build your Intuition Muscles. Suspend judgment and doubt for 10 minutes. Get 2 fresh sheets of paper and a pen. Claim quiet time and shut off the ringer on your phone, the computer and any alarms. You are going to get information from something that is inanimate.
Choose a business question you want answered right now by someone very wise. Be specific. Write the question down on one of those sheets of paper and set it aside. (example question: “What do you I need to do or know to forward my business this year?”) Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Imagine your business itself has a voice. You are going to animate your business. You are going to write as if the voice of the business is responding to that question.
Now when I say, “go”, begin writing as if the business itself were answering that question and don’t lift your pen from the page for a solid 10 minutes. (Example of how a business might answer that question: “You’re doing extremely well. I’m happy with how you’ve managed me and grown me. I want you to create more information products to fatten my bottom line, so that we can do even more great work in the world.”) Got the idea? Ok, ready? Go!
Don’t believe me that this technique works? I wrote an entire book this way and have grown a thriving business doing the same:) Try it now! You’ll be strengthening your intuition muscles!
5. Block: Worrying about what others will say.
This strategy is the most sure-fire way for any entrepreneur to fail.
Remedy: Memorize this quote from Peaceful Warrior author Dan Millman:
“You cannot listen to the God of your heart while you’re busy monitoring the god of opinion.” ~ Dan Millman
When Dan first said this to me, some 25 years ago, I soaked it in like a sponge. It’s my “go to” quote when I find myself tied up in knots and not moving forward because I’m worrying about opinions. Remembering this quote works like magic. If I catch myself worshipping opinions, I take a deep breath, recall the quote, and march forward. Now it’s your turn. Write down Dan’s quote. Put it on a yellow-sticky by your computer or mirror, get a tattoo, or if you have an iphone, ask Seri to remind you of the quote throughout the day. Whatever works to remind you to tune in to your heart and tune-out the noise of opinions.
Remove Those Roadblocks Now
It’s your time — time to shift from being interested in your successto being committed to your success, however you define it. It’s time to get out of your own way, remove the roadblocks you’ve created and come to life more fully. Then world is eager for you to do so!
TAKE A LOOK: Please join me in my private Facebook Group, The Entrepreneur’s Café!
I share more juicy entrepreneurial success mindset secrets in this group!
