What's Really Holding You Back?

What is the real hurdle, block or fear that is holding you back?

The subject for today’s post was triggered by a discussion in the Small Business Accelerator Group on Linked In with the title “What’s Holding You Back”. – You do need to be a member to read it.

Over a year ago, I published a post about how the limiting belief “I am not enough” holds most of us back at some time.

Some of the comments from group members include:

Own Self
Lack of Knowledge
Not good enough
Fear of success
Fear of rejection
Time
Procrastination

Most of these are related to the “I am not enough” belief.

In my own case, I know that distraction, overwhelm from information overload and investigating too many opportunities were big factors.

The photo of me running an ultra-marathon (85km / 50 miles) is up there for a purpose. I was very afraid that I was not good enough when I set a goal as a non-runner in my late thirties to complete at least one Comrades ultra-marathon by age 40, I did it anyway. Then did it 3 more times.

I found that training 6 days a week for 2 years, getting up at 4 or 5 am most mornings, the pain and disruption to my life were all tougher than just about anything I had attempted before. However it was easier to believe that I could do it and consistently take action to achieve it than striving to achieve some business goals.

This anomaly puzzled me for a long time, I published a series of posts on the subject and then published an e-book which is available fromAmazon for $2.91 .

My early business successes, starting at age 21 with a small manufacturing business, continuing with a career in the corporate world and then starting several more brick and mortar businesses and a farm all seem easy with hindsight. Of course there were difficult periods, huge doubts at times and some catastrophic failures.

But on reflection, I believe that it was easier in many ways because:

Fewer distractions from the Internet and Social media
With no “on-line” business opportunities, barriers to starting a business in most fields were high – not for the faint-hearted
Consulting / coaching industry was in its infancy, not an option for most
Fewer regulatory, health, employment, “human rights” restrictions

Because it was more difficult to start a brick and mortar business then than it is to start an on-line business today, those that did had frequently made a bigger commitment and a bigger investment. Many of today’s dabblers or those that confuse a business with a hobby, never got started.

The Internet is both a blessing and a curse, yes it has opened up a flood of new industries and an endless store of information, but it has also opened the flood gates to a deluge of “opportunities”, false promises and distracting rabbit holes.

That had been holding me back, continually collecting new information instead of acting on what I already had. Using research, planning, looking at too many new ideas, new blogging tactics, new tools. All that is important to some degree, but in the past I had often been successful with “flying by the seat of my pants” tactics. I had found it much easier to focus on a few strategically important activities without the distractions.

In my first business, I had a contract to make hessian (burlap) sacks to a certain specification. It was a simple business, once I had arranged finances, purchased machinery and trained workers I did not have to worry about more research. Before the contract came to an end, I found other work for the factory, more products to make, bought more machinery, still simple, not much to hold me back.

That is why, this year I have been following the doctrine of “The Disciplined Pursuit of Less”, (Definitely worth a read) purging my email subscriptions, reducing the number of blogs I follow, cancelling my membership of several social media sites and spending less time on most others. I have dropped most of the products and services I was promoting as an affiliate marketer.

It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It makes it much easier to focus on the few important activities I must do to build my business as a blogger, business and life alchemist and speaker.

Wishing you success with nothing to hold you back.