Myth-busting – what stories are you telling yourself that just hold you back?
We hold myths about ourselves, others, professions, skills, just about everything. Some of the most commonly held myths are around being sporty or creative or entrepreneurial - “I’m just not (fill in the blank)”. So you may never buy out Richard Branson but is your myth stopping you from even getting some business advice or taking that painting class?
When we imagine something that we always wanted to do but never even tried, guaranteed there is a myth holding us back just waiting to be busted. Let’s get even more specific down to our own myths about ourselves and our abilities. Have you ever thought about having your own business and talked yourself out of it? Could be that you holding on to some powerful myths that are scaring you into staying in a job that doesn’t really fulfil you. For example:
- I can’t earn as much by myself
- People won’t buy from me
- I need to understand all aspects of business before I even start
- Selling is hard – I’m no good at that
- No one in my family has had their own business
By the time you’ve gone through all of the scare stories and old mantras, staying where you are seems like a much more appealing option. So how can you separate fact from fiction?
- Think of something you would like to achieve but have never really taken any action towards.
- Write down all your “reasons” for not doing it.
- Go through each reason and play devil’s advocate – what is the other side of the story with each reason? i.e. Having a business is risky AND I can find ways to minimise risk
- Look at all the personal statements you have made. Are you expecting to already have skills and knowledge that can be learnt? Don’t hold yourself back because you weren’t making Michelin star food aged 3.
- Find a mentor how is already doing what you would like to do. Find out what their experience has been like and see if their story can help you bust some of your own myths.
- Get as much factual evidence as possible to counter-balance your myths. Information is power and by learning about your chosen goal you will be much better prepared to start taking the steps to achieve it.
Fiona Monks is a Certified Youth and Business Coach. If you have something that you would like coaching on, she can be contacted at [email protected] or on 07943155533.
