Permission Granted: Shattering the Ceiling of Self-Limitations

We all face obstacles on our path to growth and leadership development. These hurdles often fall into two categories: inhibitions (self-imposed limitations) and prohibitions (external restrictions). Understanding and addressing these barriers is key to unlocking our full potential. I love the question we will reflect on in this article: Who says you can't? That's why our team developed the Multiply Leader Collective. We want to help like-minded leaders shatter the ceilings of self-limitations.

The Horse Parable: A Lesson in Self-Limitation

Imagine a young horse, full of energy and potential, tethered to a post by a rope. As the horse grows, it learns to stay within the confines of the rope, believing it cannot venture beyond its radius. Even when the rope is removed, the horse, now an adult, continues to limit itself to the familiar boundaries, unaware of its true freedom.

This analogy illustrates the concept of self-imposed limitations. We often create mental barriers that prevent us from exploring new possibilities and achieving our goals. The big question is: what are your inhibitions costing you? In your family, your business, your personal life – there's a price to staying stagnant.

Climbing Everest: The Importance of Investment

Consider this: if I offered you a chance to join an Everest expedition, what would your response be? Perhaps you’d say, “It’s too hard,” or “I could never do that.” I know I would be tempted with these responses. However, these are classic examples of inhibitions – self-doubt that holds us back from pursuing ambitious goals. Maybe you have some work to do to condition yourself, but don't make the mistake of confusing "haven't climbed Everest" with "can't Climb Everest." These are two different realities altogether. We are all capable of accomplishing way more than we think or imagine.

Yuichiro Miura, a Japanese mountaineer and skier, is the oldest person to climb Mount Everest at the age of 80 years and 223 days on May 23, 2013. Miura was unable to descend the mountain on his own and was helicoptered from Camp 2 to Kathmandu, which some alpinists say made his climb incomplete. Nobody said it would be easy, right? Either way, he ascended the 29,032 summit at 80 years of age. That's wild.

The reality is, the more we invest in ourselves – in terms of time, effort, and resources – the greater our chances of success. Just as climbers prepare extensively before attempting Everest, we need to equip ourselves with the necessary skills and mindset to tackle our own "mountains."

While we lack concrete statistics, it's highly probable that investing in Sherpa training and development significantly increases their survival rates on Everest. Experience, skills, and knowledge gained through training equip Sherpas to better navigate the mountain's challenges and make informed decisions, ultimately reducing risks.

Breaking the Mold: Permission to Climb

Think about your business or organization. What are those ambitious, even scary, goals that you've yet to achieve? Write down three wins you'd like to see in the next 90 days. Have you given yourself permission to break the mold and push beyond what’s currently working?

As we climb higher, we need to acclimate to new altitudes. Similarly, to reach new levels of success, we must adapt and evolve. That's our aim with the 5 Voices Leadership Academy. We partner with leaders like you to acclimate to new altitudes and systematically overcome the self-limiting ceilings we tend to use to protect ourselves.

Embracing the "Why Not?" Mentality

A guiding principle in my life has been "why not?" At 5'9 and a 4.7 forty-yard dash coming out of high school, I was told I was too slow and short to play Division 1 college football. However, as a walk-on for the University of Arkansas football team, I lettered for 2 of my 4 years and was privileged to play in 2 bowl games. I ended up running a 4.47 by my senior year and one of my coaches introduced me to my wife of 22 years. If I had allowed their limiting beliefs to land on me, I would have missed so much. What would my inhibition have cost me if I had bought into the limiting beliefs? I'm so glad I chose not to buy the lies. Here's a picture for proof standing next to my guys Tom Crowder and Nathan Henry.

What about you? What feels impossible in your life right now? What mountain are you climbing? What mountain are you avoiding? What will your inhibitions cost you?

Tool: Who Says You Can't?

The “Who Says You Can’t?” tool, developed by GiANT Worldwide, is a powerful framework for challenging limiting beliefs and fostering a growth mindset. It’s designed to help individuals and teams break free from self-imposed constraints and embrace a more expansive view of what’s possible.

Notice the handcuffs and the question marks in the image below. Most of us would say that handcuffs are more restrictive than a question mark, but when it comes to climbing to new altitudes, question marks turn out to be the most potent resistance we face. When our question marks control us, we end up cuffing ourselves to small worlds and even smaller goals. It feels safer that way, but it's a dead-end road to nowhere.

This simple tool involves asking a series of 5 powerful questions that challenge the assumptions of underlying limiting beliefs. These are probably worth writing somewhere where you can see them often.

1. Who says you can’t? This initial question encourages us to identify the source of the limiting belief. Is it a societal norm, a past experience, or an internalized fear?
2. What if you could? This question shifts our focus from limitations to possibilities. It invites us to imagine what might be possible if we let go of the belief that's holding us back.
3. What would it take? This question prompts us to explore the specific actions and resources needed to make the seemingly impossible, possible.
4. What’s stopping you? This question helps us uncover the hurdles or gaps that must be faced to step into your preferred future reality.
5. How will you start? This final question encourages us to take the first step toward making our aspirations a reality. You can't do everything today, but don't let that stop you from doing something today.

I encourage you to start by defining your wins for the next 90 days. Take that first step towards breaking through your inhibitions and reaching new heights. Notice all the inhibiting thoughts that begin to arise once you commit yourself to this process. Don't buy it.

Remember:

• We all have the potential for more within us.
• Don't let self-doubt hold you back.
• Embrace the "why not?" mentality.
• Challenge your inhibitions and push beyond your comfort zone.

The world is waiting for you to unleash your full potential. Who says you can't?

For more on developing your mindset, you can find my newest book called Your 7-Day Masterclass on Mindset. It's available in print and digital versions. Once you purchase, I would be grateful if you would consider leaving a review.