Get Over Yourself

One of the things we all struggle with is our own worthiness. That is to say, I meet people all the time who, despite having tremendous successes in their life, despite having a great education, despite having what seems like everything going for them, they come up against a new opportunity and they think, “Oh my gosh, why would anybody listen to me? Why would anybody follow me? Am I competent to do this? Maybe I should just stick to what I’ve done before.”

When I talk to clients who have a big vision but choose to stay in their known safe environment rather than step into that vision I ask “Is that safe thing what you love to do?” It usually becomes evident that it’s not a lack of desire, but rather a matter of feeling unqualified, underprepared or unworthy that holds them back. 

When a lot of us come up against this problem, (and it’s a big problem) it can shackle us to old ways of doing things. We revert to the routine. More often than not, we choose to stay in our safe space, on familiar ground. That choice stems from knowing that once we step out of that familiar ground we’ll be diving into uncharted territory, and that’s terrifying. But that rut of safety keeps us from being fully realized as human beings. 

An entrepreneurial journey is a gigantic, grand, and epic adventure. It comes with all kinds of challenges, adversaries, and dangers attached. There is the opportunity to lose everything. You’re putting it all on the line, but there’s also this giant treasure at the end of it. It could be wealth, fame, freedom or whatever it is that you measure as your treasure. It’s all there for you. 

I wonder how many potential heroes shrink from the challenge. They back off because they think, “I’m not worthy.” For instance, if you go back to the Old Testament, we find Moses, who was one of the most revered prophets in Judaism. Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt; he defied the Pharaoh, and parted the Red Sea. But we tend to forget that when the Lord first offered Moses that epic challenge, he responded with, “I’m slow of speech. Who’s going to listen to me? I’m not a young man anymore.” Excuse, excuse, excuse. 

Moses could have stayed in that place of fear because of his perceived inadequacies. I’m sure he thought of a million little excuses to potentially justify not pursuing his quest. But, instead, he rose above them. Maybe Moses knew that all those excuses we build up, that keep us on the sidelines, are nothing more than our own BS insecurities. 

Let’s be honest, everybody is imperfect. Everybody is weak in some way. And, believe me, we are way more aware of our weaknesses than anybody around us is. The truth is everybody is worried about his or her own inadequacies. They’re not really spending a lot of time measuring yours.

We have to ask ourselves, what is the treasure that lies out there and how are our feelings of inadequacy keeping us from pursuing it? Are we willing to give up our future? Are we willing to give up the treasure? Are we willing to give up the fame and the opportunities that come along with going on the big journey? Are we willing to give it up to stay safely on the sidelines? Because that’s what most people do. They chicken out. 

But that doesn’t have to be you. If you identify as an entrepreneur, I’m going to tell you that you can find a way to step into the unknown. I believe that entrepreneurs are born, not made. People, like you, that really love the quest have always been out there looking for adventure. 

When they finally find it and get their eye on the target, they pursue it aggressively. When they decide they’re going to go into uncharted territory, they don’t shrink from it. No, they launch into the attack. They gird up their loin; they get their crew, their vessel, and their sword. They venture off into the future, into the dark, and into their own legacy.

I want you to think about, how am I going to get to the place where I feel like I’m up to the battle, that I’m worthy of the battle?

No one can set your level of worthiness except you. Now, let me tell you, I have dear friends who have unbelievable success. They’ve done things that most people just read about in magazines. They’re super accomplished. They’ve created household name brands, made millions and millions of dollars, traveled the world, and been recognized on multiple continents as thought leaders in their industry. Yet even those people, who most would consider monumental successes, can be flustered when it comes to embracing new opportunities if their level of self-worth doesn’t meet the challenge. Even the most accomplished person can find themselves in a place of anxiety, excuses, and doubt.  

I’ve challenged those people and said, “But you have no evidence to show that you can’t do this and you have tons of evidence to show that you are competent and capable. So are you willing?” 

That’s what it comes down to. Are you willing to experiment? Are you willing to try? Are you willing to test all the stuff that you’ve done before, all the competency that you’ve fostered over the years in order to get where you are now and test it against the new challenge? 

Are you willing to listen to past supporters and those that have placed confidence in you? Are you willing to believe in whatever it is those people saw in you and just say, maybe this new version of myself, who’s getting ready to start this latest adventure, is actually competent, is actually worthy? Are you willing to just experiment on that idea and test it?

Experiment. I want that word locked and burned in your brain. Just experiment. You don’t have to commit to this new thing for forever. You just have to play around with it. You will find that with experimentation not only will success follow, but you’ll also have people saying “Oh my gosh, I’ve been looking for you. I’ve been waiting for you. Thank you for showing up!”

Folks, if you’re feeling a call to something greater inside, quit disqualifying yourself because you wonder if somebody else will think you’re unworthy. I’ll say it again; no one can set your level of worthiness except for you. That’s the beginning of becoming unshackled; it’s having the courage to step into what you’re great at. To step into your super power. To step into some new, epic journey. I’ve often said that if you can live a life where just one person’s life is really changed for the better, then you’ve been successful. But what if by going out into the world, overcoming your own feelings of unworthiness and stepping into your true greatness, you could change thousands of lives. Wouldn’t that be worth the experiment? 

Learn to become Unshackled @ https://aaronscottyoung.com/the-unshackled-owner/