What is holding you back?

Elephants are majestic, powerful beings, capable of great strength.  Nevertheless, circuses were able to subdue them by simply tying them to a stake with a three foot rope. Trainers started when the elephants were young  and as they grew, despite being strong enough to pull up the stake, they had it in their head that they were not capable of doing so.

Sound familiar?

What we are today is a product of everything that has come before.  Whether you mean to or not, messages and habits formed early in life can continue to feed into your perception of who you are and what you are capable of.  You may be a mid-level employee in your office stuck in your role as you do not see yourself capable of being a senior leader.  Like the adult elephant tied to the stake, you have notions and beliefs holding you back.

This invites a reflection.  What is holding you back?  What beliefs, concepts, habits, behaviors are getting in your way of reaching your full potential.  Once you identify these, then what do you need to do to break away from them? It starts with making a simple conceptual change.  You are strong enough and capable enough to pull up that stake.

As we discussed in an earlier blog, you may not see what others see.  You may not realize you have the skills, abilities and strength to make that next big jump. Like that adult elephant, you may still see yourself as the entry level employee who is not ready for that big career move.  You may not see yourself as capable.  You may not realize that when others look upon you they see someone who is ready to lead, ready to move up, ready to truly be the best version of yourself.

How do you do this?  Make an honest assessment of yourself.  What is your future goal?  What do you need to get there?  What stigmas and concepts do you need to break down to get there?  This is where a leadership coach can provide great support, but it is also where you can rely on trusted friends and colleagues to build you up.  Finally, do not be afraid of tough conversations with yourself that enable you to move forward.

You are incredibly capable of many things.  You have the strength to break the rope, pull up the stake and realize your true potential.