Welcome to Milestone Moments, the show where
we explore the journeys that lead to success.
I'm Sheila Slick, your host and founder of Five
Milestones. In every episode, we will bring you
insights from the minds of entrepreneurs, leaders
and experts who will share not just their expertise,
but the milestone moments that have reshaped
their journeys and led to significant achievements.
So if you're looking for motivation, you're in
the right place. Subscribe now and discover the
milestones that mark the path to success. Hi,
welcome back to another episode of Milestone
Moments in Business and Leadership. I'm Sheila
Slick, your host. And today we're talking about
something that impacts us all, whether we're
in the middle of our business journey or just
starting out. and I'm talking about barriers
to growth. We all have big dreams, and some of
us have those huge game -changing visions, while
others might have smaller, more immediate goals.
But let me ask you something. Why is it that
sometimes, despite working hard and putting in
the effort, we don't seem to get any closer to
achieving those dreams? It can feel like you're
running on a treadmill sometimes, moving but
not really going anywhere. So why? Well, let
me tell you something that I learned the hard
way. We often build invisible barriers to our
own growth. And they're not always obvious. They
don't come with flashing lights or loud alarms,
but they're there. And until we're aware of them,
they hold us back. So today, I want to talk about
the power of awareness and how identifying these
barriers is the first step to breaking through
them. The truth is, if you can't see it, You
can't change it. So let's talk about how you
can develop the power of awareness and start
identifying your own personal barriers to growth.
Let's get clear on what I mean by barriers. These
aren't always the big obvious roadblocks that
we think about. Sometimes they're subtle. Sometimes
they'll creep up in ways and we don't always
notice. you might find yourself justifying why
you haven't made progress. And you might find
yourself saying things like, I'm doing everything
I can. I'm working so hard. Why isn't it working?
And I know this because I've been there. A few
years ago, I had found myself stuck in this cycle
of working harder and harder, but I wasn't really
seeing the results that I wanted. And I kept
telling myself, if I just push harder, things
are just going to click. But deep inside, I knew
that something was off. It wasn't about my effort.
It was about something deeper. And when I took
a step back and I really looked at my situation,
I realized that that barrier was fear. And that
fear is fear of failure, fear of being judged,
fear of not being enough. And this kind of self
-sabotage isn't rare. It is so common. In fact,
that most of us don't even recognize when it
is happening. So what's the first step? Well,
the first step is to be honest with yourself.
And that's not easy, but it is absolutely necessary
if you're wanting to grow. So let's break down
some of the most common barriers to growth that
I've come across, both in my own journey. with
the people that I've coached, and through my
education. And these are the ones that sneak
in and hold us back when we least expect it.
And the number one most common barrier to growth
is fear of failure. We have that one big fear,
fear of failure. And this one keeps so many people
stuck. We start to believe that if we fail, it's
the end. that we'll be judged, we'll be criticized,
or that we just aren't cut out for success. So
we avoid that risk and we play it safe. But the
truth behind that is that avoiding failure doesn't
help you grow. In fact, it's what's keeping you
from trying new things, from taking chances,
and from learning. I've passed on many different
opportunities because I was terrified of failure.
But when I finally embraced it and realized it
was a necessary part of the process, everything
changed. Failure isn't an enemy. It's a teacher.
So what do you have to lose? Perfectionism is
the number two. I'm sure you've heard this one
before. I can't start until it's perfect. If
you're constantly waiting for the perfect moment
or setting these impossibly high standards for
yourself, You'll stay stuck. Perfectionism keeps
you from making progress. We've all done it.
I've done it countless times. I've delayed decisions
and projects because I was worried that they
weren't perfect. But when I eventually realized
that progress is more important than perfection,
I began to move forward. And when you move forward,
you're growing. Number three, a third barrier
is a lack of self -belief. Maybe you doubt yourself
or you feel like you're not ready for the next
step. And if you don't believe in yourself, how
can you expect anyone else to? This kind of thinking
keeps you afraid. It keeps you small. But you'll
never stretch beyond your limits if you stay
in that comfort zone. I have had so many moments
when I felt like an imposter. Like I wasn't capable
as the people around me. Even with this podcast.
I lacked the self -belief that I could be the
host of a podcast. But self -belief isn't something
that you're born with. It's something that you
cultivate. And once you believe in yourself,
everything begins to shift. And sometimes what
is holding us back is when we get too comfortable.
We settle into a routine and we stop challenging
ourselves. We stop growing. Comfort feels great
in the moment, but in the long run, what it does
is it leads to stagnation. Growth requires discomfort.
It requires stepping out of our comfort zone.
For me, I've gotten comfortable in my routine
many times. I've also stepped out of my comfort
zone many times. And it wasn't until I pushed
myself out of my comfort zone that I began to
see. real growth again, or results that I didn't
expect. They went above and beyond my expectations.
And then there's always the external influences,
other people's opinions, societal expectations,
and that pressure to fit in. Those can all create
barriers. It's so easy to let other people's
judgments shape our decisions. And this pressure
sometimes makes you want to follow what everyone
else is doing instead of paving your own path
but when you realize that if you keep letting
the outside influences dictate your choices then
you'll never truly be yourself and breaking free
from that pressure is a game changer so now that
you know what some of these common barriers are
let's talk about how you can cultivate that power
of self -awareness How do you start seeing what's
actually holding you back? Well, the first step
is self -reflection. You start by taking the
time regularly to check in with yourself. And
you can do that through journaling, meditation,
or just sitting down with your thoughts. Ask
yourself, what is holding me back right now?
Where do I feel stuck? What fears am I facing?
Two. So now that we've talked about some of the
most common barriers, let's talk about how you
can cultivate that power of self -awareness.
How do you start seeing what's actually holding
you back? Well, I'm going to give you five different
ways to do that. And number one, start with self
-reflection. And that means taking time to regularly
sit down, check in with yourself. Or you can
journal. You can meditate. But sitting down with
your thoughts can reveal a lot. Ask yourself,
what am I feeling right now? What is holding
me back right now? Where am I feeling stuck?
What fears am I facing? The second thing you
can do is get feedback from others. Sometimes
you can't see your own blind spots. So get feedback.
Ask a mentor, a coach. or even a friend who will
be honest with you. And that can help you identify
barriers you might not have noticed. Number three
is to practice mindfulness. By practicing mindfulness,
you're becoming more aware of your thoughts and
your emotions in real time. And this helps you
catch these limiting beliefs as they arise. And
at the same time, they can help you shift your
mindset before they take hold. Number four. Set
intentions and review regularly. Set clear intentions
for your growth and then review your progress
regularly. This helps you stay on track and course.
You can even correct if new barriers pop up.
And five, create actionable steps. Once you've
identified your barriers, take actionable steps
to overcome them. Whether it's taking a small
risk every week or completing a project without
aiming for perfection, create those steps, those
milestones that will move you forward. Awareness
is the first step. Once you see the barriers,
you can start to break through them. So take
a moment and reflect on what's holding you back
and then make a plan to move forward. Thanks
for tuning in today. If this episode resonated
with you, I'd love for you to share it with someone
who might need to hear it. And don't forget to
subscribe for more moments of insights into business
leadership and personal growth. The link is in
the description. Until next time.