Stop Negotiating with Your Potential: The Brutal Truth About Why You’re Stuck and How to Fix It

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: you’re not living up to your potential. You’ve talked yourself into mediocrity with excuses, distractions, and a whole list of reasons why “now” isn’t the right time. Let me tell you—it’s never going to feel like the right time. And if you’re waiting for perfect conditions, you’ve already lost.

Most people don’t fail because they’re incapable. They fail because they’ve made a habit of negotiating with their potential. They accept their limits as fixed instead of fighting to see what’s possible. Are you one of them? If you’re not sure, ask yourself this:

• Have you talked yourself out of doing something hard because it felt uncomfortable?
• Do you avoid big risks and tell yourself it’s “smart” to play it safe?
• Are you stuck in the same place you were six months ago?

If the answer is yes, then you’ve been negotiating with your potential. And the cost of staying stuck? It’s everything you say you want but don’t have yet.

What Took Me from “Have To” to “Want To”

I used to operate from a “have to” mindset. I “had to” work harder. I “had to” succeed. But the truth is, that mindset left me drained, unmotivated, and always falling short of my potential. Everything felt like an obligation rather than an opportunity.

The shift happened when I asked myself one simple question: What if I wanted this? What if I saw the grind as a privilege instead of a burden? That change in perspective didn’t just transform how I approached my goals—it transformed my life and my business.

Here’s the thing: the “want to” mindset isn’t magic—it’s a decision. It’s waking up every day and choosing to see your challenges as gifts, your work as a vehicle for growth, and your goals as something you GET to pursue, not something you HAVE to endure.

When you move from “have to” to “want to,” everything changes:

• Action becomes effortless: Instead of dragging yourself through tasks, you feel energized by them.
• Obstacles become opportunities: Challenges fuel you because they prove your capacity to grow.
• Passion replaces pressure: You’re not just chasing success; you’re building something you love.

Let me be clear—this mindset shift doesn’t make things easier. The work is still hard, but now it’s meaningful. And that meaning changes everything.

If you’re tired of feeling stuck, this is your invitation to stop waiting and start wanting. Choose it. Own it. Watch how your life transforms.

The Cost of Staying Stuck

Every day you spend negotiating with your potential is a day you’ll never get back. The opportunities you miss, the growth you forfeit, the life you’ll never live—those are the stakes. Staying in your comfort zone might feel safe, but it’s robbing you of something far more valuable: the chance to see what you’re really capable of.

If you’re okay with that, stop reading now. But if the thought of wasting your potential makes you uncomfortable—good. Use that discomfort to fuel action.

The Game Plan to Break Through

Here’s how to stop negotiating with your potential and start becoming the person you were meant to be:

1. Relentless Ownership Stop blaming circumstances, other people, or bad luck. You are responsible for your life, period. Take an honest inventory: where are you making excuses? Write them down and confront them.
2. Set a Non-Negotiable Goal Pick one thing this week that scares you but will push you forward. It could be pitching a big client, committing to a fitness goal, or finally launching that project. Make it non-negotiable—it gets done, no matter what.
3. Upgrade Your Environment You become the average of the people you surround yourself with. If your circle isn’t pushing you to be better, it’s holding you back. Seek out high-performing groups that challenge you to grow. (More on this below.)
4. Do the Hard Thing First Every day, tackle the thing you’re most likely to avoid. Whether it’s a difficult conversation, a workout, or a critical business task, prioritize it. Momentum follows action.
5. Audit Your Time Where are you wasting time? Social media, Netflix, overthinking? Reclaim those hours and reinvest them in growth.

Stop Accepting “Fine”

Let me be clear: you don’t get extraordinary results by doing what’s comfortable. You get them by choosing to be uncomfortable every single day. That’s the price of greatness, and most people aren’t willing to pay it.

Are you?

Your Next Steps

If you’re ready to stop negotiating with your potential, here’s what to do:

1. Subscribe to the Official Edition of This Newsletter Every week, I’ll share tools, strategies, and insights that you won’t find anywhere else. But this isn’t for the faint of heart—it’s for those who are ready to put in the work. Click here to subscribe now.
2. Explore Ascend Growth and Development Cadres If you want to surround yourself with high-performing individuals who demand more of themselves and others, join one of our cadres. This is where transformation happens. Learn more about the cadres here.
3. Chat with Me Ready to take action but not sure where to start? Let’s talk. Book a 15-minute brainstorming session to map out your next steps. Click here to schedule a call.

The Clock Is Ticking

Time is the one thing you can’t get back.

Every second you spend negotiating with your potential is a second you could have spent growing, building, and becoming unstoppable.

The choice is yours: stay stuck or step up.

The world doesn’t reward the comfortable—it rewards the committed.

Which one are you going to be?

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