Are you wondering why you haven’t reached your business or financial goals yet? What is stopping you or slowing you down? It might be something tangible, a physical thing, but most often it is not. On most occasions, people are not taking the necessary steps towards their dreams, due to blocks that have been developed throughout life.

Every experience in your life: your family, culture, religion, and even traumatic events have all had an effect on creating limiting beliefs and habits (these so-called ‘blocks’). Training the mind is the most beneficial way to get rid of any blocks, and form new habits and thought patterns. Below I have listed a few main blocks that might stop you from achieving your business and financial goals.

Are you constantly worrying about what other people think about you, do you fear criticism, and maybe even find yourself pleasing people by telling them what they want to hear? People, especially women, have been taught to seek others’ approval, by trying to make others happy and not cause any trouble.

Sure, people might love the attention and they might like you because you bend over backwards to please them. This is, however, a recipe for disappointment; not on their part, but on yours. If you think about your business or your wealth, you will never be able to appease everyone. You will grow tired of trying to please your mother, spouse, potential clients, and every single person on the internet. In reality, you don’t need approval from them. 

You are not for everyone. You are here for your ideal clients. Once you start doing what you love, and what makes you happy, your self-esteem will grow. Once that happens, it is easier not to listen to the constant chatter of the outside world.

Focus on building your own happiness:

• You know what is best for you (even if your mother likes to disagree)
• You know what you should go after (even though people who want to control you, and your life, think they know what you should do)
• You know what you love to do (follow your intuition, love)
• You are the key to your happiness (there is no prince or princess charming who will sweep your problems away and give you half of their kingdom)

“Don’t care about what other people think, do, or say”. This is easier said than done. Human beings require a sense of belonging in a group or a pack, and would do everything in their power to prevent being outcasts or shunned.

In the past, I have certainly given too much power to other people’s opinions and it has been one of my biggest struggles. However, giving power to others will stop you from reaching your dreams and goals. If they are not the ones paying your bills and contributing to your income, then you should not care. The following list may seem daunting, but remember, you don’t need to be perfect. Through constant growth and self-development, I was able to overcome this paralysing mental block. It might take some time, so be kind to yourself.

Your worry about other people’s opinions will diminish once you:

• Get to know yourself (what do you want, what do you love)
• Have healthy self-esteem
• Learn your worth
• Stop judging yourself and others
• Eliminate the need for perfectionism
• Focus on those you want to serve and impact. You are here to help your ideal clients and create happiness for yourself, so ignore the naysayers and negative nellies.

There are two types of perfectionism: “Normal” perfectionism is when you strive for perfection without compromising your self-esteem and gain pleasure from your efforts. The neurotic perfectionist is prone to setting unrealistic goals and feeling dissatisfied when unable to accomplish them. So what should you do if you are constantly striving for perfection in your business and other endeavors?

1. Stop comparing yourself to others: There are nearly 8 billion people in the world, all of whom have their own strengths, skills, and abilities. We are all perfect in our own way and we should never compare ourselves to others. Notice how far you have come in life and what you have achieved so far. Raise yourself up by observing your achievements, rather than putting yourself down by comparing yourself to others.

2. Imperfect action is better than perfect inaction: When you are doing something new, stepping out of your comfort zone, or trying to achieve something, there is a likelihood that you will stumble along the way. Every single person on this earth has stumbled at some point, taken a detour, or exceeded the barriers. It is said that you need to do something for 10,000 hours to achieve mastery. So sometimes “good enough” is just what is needed. If you are striving for perfection, you are likely to leave projects and goals unfinished. Remember that nothing is permanent; as a person, you are constantly evolving, whether in terms of your opinions or your personality. Things can always be changed, improved, and developed.