The other day, something interesting happened–I had an epiphany (Cue the dramatic music).

I was on a Strategy call, chatting with a potential new member about my Agency Accelerator. Things started out ok, a little small talk–”how’s the weather out in LA?” “Any trips planned for summer?” and all that. A few minutes into the call, I started to notice some red flags. BIG red flags.

I could tell right away that this potential client had a lot of preconceived beliefs that were limiting his personal growth. I soon discovered…

• He believed he was stuck and had no way of getting unstuck
  He believed that he worked on his business a certain way and felt that change was just not possible
  He believed he had everything already figured out (and don’t you try to tell him otherwise)
  He believed he would remain stuck forever and that was that

Simply put, his limiting beliefs had him feeling as though he just needed a few other things to happen, and then he would be “ready” to build the business he wanted. Like many other aspiring entrepreneurs I’ve talked to, these limiting beliefs were holding him back from playing BIG.

We began to talk money. I asked about his revenue goal, and he stated that he’d like to make 5-figures a month — double his current revenue if he took the right steps. It seemed like he really wanted it (I mean who wouldn’t, right?!).

But here’s the big problem: He wasn’t willing to make the necessary changes in order to have a breakthrough in his business. That’s when I had to get a little real with him.

I do that sometimes.

I asked him straight out, “Are you even coachable? Are you open to changing who you are and how you’re doing things in order to make a meaningful change in your business?”

These questions hit the nail on the head.

You could practically hear the crickets chirping in the background as he scrambled for an answer.

Like many entrepreneurs, the reality was that he wasn’t open to change. He felt fear, self-doubt, and had a lack of motivation. When it comes down to it, he just hadn’t struggled enough in his business. He didn’t want to grow his business badly enough, and it was affecting his mindset.

He seemed like a nice enough person, but he needed a bit of a reality check. He believed that it was outside circumstances that prevented him from breakthrough business growth. Not his own actions or lack thereof.

• If he just had more money he could hire a team.
  If he just had a better website, he would get better clients.
  If he just had more time, he could add more clients and make more money.

He pointed his finger at his current circumstances—lack of support, lack of money, lack of time—to explain his lack of success. If he just had those things, he claimed, then all of his problems would be solved.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. That’s just not reality. No matter your situation, you have to be willing to change if you want to be the one who makes it in the big leagues.

Completely drenched in sweat and energized after a ride on my exercise bike, I jumped on a Facebook Live to chat about the topic of limiting beliefs initial. I shared my experience of overcoming one of my personal go-to limiting beliefs: “Oh, I’m not an exercise person, I don’t exercise, I don’t enjoy it.”

Hey! Don’t judge me. I got past it. Keep reading!

My limiting belief was based on the idea that I am who I am–the type of person that just doesn’t exercise. No Barre, no spin, no thank you. I wear my Lululemons to get groceries, not to get sweaty. And that wasn’t something that I was willing to change, ever.

Then one day, my mentor, Geeta, called me and out of the blue, she dropped a bomb (or should I say a dumbbell) on me. She said, “I’m climbing a mountain, and you’re climbing this mountain with me.”

Uh… excuse me? Say that again. A MOUNTAIN? Can we, like, start with a hill or something… maybe a nice stroll along the beach? (I’ll bring the wine!)

Needless to say, she’s VERY persuasive.

So the next thing I know, I’m signed up to climb Snowbasin mountain in Utah 9 times in a row over the course of 30 hours. That’s 20,310 feet, the equivalent of summiting Denali, the largest peak in North America.

The moral of the story here? You can only conquer your limiting beliefs if you change your mindset.

Since I had signed up for this crazy, ridiculous, I-mean-what-was-I-thinking excursion that was so outside of my comfort zone, I knew that the only way I could handle it was to dive into some serious training sessions.

At least then I would have the best chance of not passing out on my way up to the top of this mountain (Did I mention I was doing it NINE TIMES?!).

My mindset quickly changed from “I don’t ever work out because I don’t like it” to “Well, now I have to work out so I don’t… die.”

Nothing like the fear of death to get ya’ motivated!

From there, I made some changes in my life. I got an exercise bike, and I committed to hopping on it every day.

And you know what happened next? (I bet you can guess!)

I felt awesome!!

I finally understood what all those hot yoga people mean when they talk about an exercise high! And I didn’t even need to risk getting heat stroke to experience it!

I began to realize how that belief in who I was guided (and inhibited) my actions for years–this idea that I’m the type of person who doesn’t work out. But I was forced to make a change that pushed me outside of my comfort zone. And I’m so grateful I did!

I’ve tried to carry this idea of finding “comfort in the discomfort of change” into my career in PR. Now I’m doing some meaningful things in my business to support that.

If you’re stuck in your business or your life because of your limiting beliefs, it’s time for you to step outside of your comfort zone. Things will happen faster than you can imagine.

Don’t feel bad. We all deal with this same problem.

The students I’ve worked with deal with limiting beliefs, as well. They feel this sneaking suspicion that maybe just maybe, they’re actually a fraud. In the back of their minds, they feel that they’re not worth the retainer fees and clients they’re seeking and that they can’t close those deals because they’re just. not. good. enough.

Let me tell you right now, that limiting belief stems from your mindset.

Your mindset controls how you feel about yourself. It keeps you small and prevents you from achieving your dreams. It stops you from working with your dream clients. It’s a whole mess of self-imposed beliefs that keep you stuck right where you are–in There-Goes-My-Dreams-Of-Success, U.S.A. If you don’t believe that you deserve more in your business, then nobody else will.

But there’s good news. (Hip hip hooray!) You, and only you, are in control of your mindset.

People that have a defeatist mindset because of their limiting beliefs feel that other people have earned the right to share their expert opinions and be featured in the media. They also feel like they have to wait for these opportunities to come to them.

Reality check: No one’s going to knock down your door with opportunities to make your business successful. That’s your job.

Luckily, I can teach you to overcome your limiting beliefs.

I can help you because I’ve been there. I used to be in your shoes. Limiting beliefs made me feel trapped.

Do I enjoy exercise? I mean, I’m not going to sign up for an Iron Man any time soon, and don’t even get me started on those insane, tire-flipping Crossfit crazies… So, the truth is, I don’t love it, but I do feel really good right now. I feel like I’ve accomplished something, and I’m training to push myself to literary climb a mountain. That’s a HUGE step outside of my comfort zone. And think about all the mountain-climbing metaphors I’ll be able to use from now on in my inspirational posts! Jackpot!

In that process, I’ve learned a lot about myself and the other beliefs that I had that held me back. I know that I’m here to serve others. When anybody comes to me for advice, I’m going to show up fully and serve them.

A lot of people have these limiting beliefs that if they just had xyz—money, time, an assistant, whatever—they would’ve accomplished all of their goals. But the reality is, they’re not willing to make any meaningful changes to make those things happen.

They are held back by their beliefs that this is just how it is. It didn’t have to take me climbing a mountain to prove that it doesn’t have to be that way. But in just one week, I WILL be climbing a mountain (just had to say that one more time! Ok, I’m done). ?

You can make all the excuses you want for why your business isn’t as successful as you know it can be. But when you’re ready to stop giving in to your limiting beliefs and start killin’ it in the PR world, message me. I’m not Yoda, but I can teach you a lot about how to build a successful agency from the ground up– even if you have no experience, no contacts, and no formal training. You can have a road map from somebody who has cracked the code on how to do it. And she’s sitting right here. On her Peloton. Riding to nowhere.

Get the support that you need in starting or growing your business, and overcome the nasty, gnawing, negative beliefs that hold you back from ruling the PR world and running a profitable agency that doesn’t run you! Let’s book a time to chat and I’ll tell you exactly how it’s done!