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The business was growing and on the edge of exponential growth. It was what the leader had hoped for, envisioned, and worked so hard to attain, and it was finally within reach.

Then, at the pinnacle of a major rollout, she fell and broke her ankle.

While she would later laugh about it as her “lucky break”, she realized at that moment that this had happened before. It was right before she had reached her current level in business, and it followed almost the same scenario.

It made her realize she was facing an upper limit and battling limiting beliefs. In her case, these major milestones had resulted in a fall, not once, but twice.

While no one wants to fall their way to success, most will encounter limiting beliefs when reaching the upper limit that comes before their next level of success. Gay Hendricks talks about this in his book The Big Leap. These limiting beliefs can manifest themselves in any number of ways, including self-doubt, fear, self-sabotage, and, sometimes, in some sort of physical issue like our entrepreneurial friend here.

If you are on the verge of closing a major deal, reaching a new level of growth in business, or facing a significant decision, know that you may experience these limiting beliefs.

What are the keys for overcoming limiting beliefs and moving past your upper limit?

1. Recognize that this is normal.

This is a transition point. The doubts and fears you are experiencing are a natural response to facing a new challenge. The key is to recognize them for what they are and accept them as an indicator that you are about to reach a new level in life and business.

2. Realize it as an opportunity for growth.

Even good changes bring a level of stress, and stress in and of itself is not a bad thing. It can make you stronger. Ask any astronaut who has experienced limited gravity for a long period of time. They will tell you that it makes their muscles weaker. Having the stress of gravity is what helps to maintain muscle mass.

3. Refine your zones.

Perhaps you’ve heard the saying that “what got you this far is not enough to carry you forward.” This is true.

This is where “zones” come into play.

There is your strengths zone.

This is where you lean into your innate strengths to bring the best of yourself to meet the challenge. Your strengths are your super-powers. You also need to surround yourself with a strengths-based team. With each person bringing their strengths to the forefront, you have a greater chance of overcoming the challenge.

It may be time evaluate your team. Is everyone in their best lane of service? Do you need to hire additional team members? Is there someone holding back the rest of the team? You will need full strength to push through to the next level.

There is your comfort zone.

While it is true that you want to stay within your strengths zone for the sake of full focus; it is also true that you are going to have to move beyond your comfort zone. This means you will need to apply your strengths in new ways. It may not be comfortable. But it is necessary for growth.

4. Reinforce your resources.

When you face a challenge, doubts will surface. They may come from deep within, from external sources, or from previous life experiences. You will need reinforcements to overcome them. These reinforcements include a strong inner circle. They may also include the addition of new members to your inner circle TEAM. Your inner circle will help you work through your limiting beliefs and push beyond the upper limits. You will grovel inside your own thoughts during change points unless you surround yourself with those who have an outside perspective.

5. Remember that you have done this before.

Dan Sullivan talks about gaps and gains. It is easy to look ahead and never feel like you will measure up to the challenge. But there is merit to looking back on occasion and realizing how far you have come.

Are you experiencing a lack of confidence? Have you self-sabotaged yourself regarding a recent opportunity? Are you experiencing an uneasiness, mentally or physically? These could very well be indicator lights that you are approaching an upper limit.

The good news is that on the other side of that upper limit is a new level of success. Gather your reinforcements and push through!

Action Steps

1. Consider a time when you have faced an upper limit. Write down what it was and how it affected you.
2. How did you push through it?
3. What resources did you gather?
4. What new level did you reach on the other side?
5. If you were facing a new challenge today, what resources and reinforcements would you need to have in place?

For valuable resources on Strengths and Strategy, click here.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!