Are Limiting Beliefs Holding Your Business Back?

What you don’t have doesn’t have to stop you.

Read that again.

When we feel we have limited resources or are starting with next to nothing, it’s no excuse to put our dreams and plans aside. Instead, it’s the perfect time to get innovative.

Creating something from practically nothing is what makes you a true entrepreneur. That’s where the magic happens. If you can do something with less, imagine what you can achieve with more.

The Problem: Procrastination

When you think you don’t have what you need to start something, your first instinct may be to do nothing. I wrote The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur after realizing the connection between having very little to work with and getting innovative. Was this sparked by a bathroom experience with only three squares of toilet paper? Whether that’s true or not, the outcome is clear: there are no excuses, no rationalizations, and no good reasons that you can’t do something. You may have to pivot a little, but you can always take action.

Does this sound familiar? “I’ll start that business one day,” or “I’ll take that leap when the time is right.” We convince ourselves that we need the stars (and money) to align perfectly before moving forward. We think we need more money, better support, or that magical stroke of luck.

This mindset is a barrier. Waiting for the “perfect time” is a huge wall standing between you and your potential. Worst of all, you had a hand in building it.

I know. Ouch. But I say this because I’ve been there. I still find myself naysaying myself sometimes. But more often than not, when I find myself at that crossroads of trying or not trying, I grab my box of tools I’ve gathered over the years and start to whittle away at what I think is standing in my way.

The channel of enabling beliefs

To be a successful entrepreneur, you need to train your mind and heart to have enabling beliefs. Just like when you have an off day and come back harder and stronger the next day, your enabling beliefs create a path that moves you forward toward your goals, even when things go awry. I call this belief conduit The Channel.

Let’s create a new belief set:

1. You have no money, which enables you to focus your ingenuity and energy to market your product better than any competitor.

2. You have never done this before, allowing you to come up with out-of-the-box, unheard-of ideas that will outshine your competition.

3. You are a professional, commanding huge respect in the business community.

4. No one has discovered a fast-growth method in your industry, so your innovative talent will accelerate your growth and put you ahead of the pack.

By revising the beliefs that built The Wall, you not only remove limitations but also create The Channel. With The Channel, your momentum is pushed forward. Even if you get bumped off track, your enabling beliefs keep you moving forward.

Tips for creating a channel of enabling beliefs

1. Realize nothing’s impossible
   When you say and believe something is impossible, you set up a giant roadblock to success. Today, if I told you that teleporting is possible, you would laugh at me. If I told you flight was possible, you would say, “Of course it is.” But the same statement about flight in the 1800s made people laugh. Stop saying something is impossible. There is always a way, and you need to seek it out.

2. Ask better questions
   We’ve all heard the statement, “There is no such thing as a stupid question!” Wrong! There are stupid questions, and they are everywhere. One of my favorites is, “How do I get an investor to give me money?” Instead, ask, “How can I SHOW an investor a 200% ASSURED return on her money?” or “How can we both come out as winners?” Better questions get better answers.

3. Watch someone else doing it
   Often, if we just open our eyes, we’ll see that someone is already doing what we thought was impossible. The Wright brothers looked at birds to see the possibility of flight. If someone or something else is already doing it, it sure isn’t impossible.

4. Ask how
   I once thought photographic memory was something a few weirdos were born with. I saw a demo where a guy memorized a detailed list of fifty things in order. I thought he was a freak. Then I asked him how he did it, and he actually told me. Once I understood it, I could do it too. Now, I can memorize a list of fifty things. Challenge yourself and try something that is contrary to your limiting beliefs. Don’t try to prove yourself right; instead, try with the absolute commitment to prove yourself wrong.

5. Take baby steps
   If you need to make a 180-degree change in your beliefs, start changing one degree at a time. Put the majority of your energy into making the first small change. Once it is accomplished, congratulate yourself for being one degree closer, and then go for the next one. Address it one small step at a time.

6. View the glass as half-full
   Focus on finding the benefits in any situation. Even if your glass has only one drop of milk in it, there is still something to drink. Or if just one sheet hangs from the roll, you can still wipe. You get the picture.

7. Write and research
   When you have a belief that is preventing strong progress, write it down. Then research it. The information you find will often destroy your belief and get you into The Channel of strong momentum.

8. When it’s over, move on (The French Toast Incident)
   Just because something happened in the past doesn’t mean it will happen again. Until I was eighteen, I avoided eating French toast because I got sick after eating it once as a child. At eighteen, I was forced to eat French toast, and it was delicious. Years later, I learned that I had the flu back then. Don’t let past experiences stop you from trying again.

When it comes to entrepreneurial success, it’s crucial to defeat or change your limiting beliefs. Only once you have The Channel of enabling beliefs can you march forward and build your desires.

Action assignment: Expose your wall

I want to leave you with a small, actionable goal for this week. Take some time to expose your wall. Write down your limiting beliefs and excuses. Then, identify your channel—your path to breaking through these barriers. What steps can you take to move past these beliefs? How can you start making progress today?

Remember, nothing can stop you unless you let it. Your dreams are within reach, and the power to achieve them lies within you. Walls be gone!

Wishing you health and wealth always.

-Mike

PS – The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur is the guide to eliminating the beliefs that hold you back, making you more innovative in your business, and giving the action steps to apply today. Grab your copy HERE.

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