If you’re finding yourself in situations when you’re not thriving at work, the temptation may be to blame external circumstances or even other people. And you may be justified to do so…It may after all be the boss who’s not giving you the right opportunities, or the company which may not be the right fit for you. You may be facing personal events that are not allowing you to focus and thrive in your work. While all these things may be true, there are almost always a few things you need to let go of as well and which may explain why you’re not being successful at work.
I remember having a conversation with a trusted friend a few years back. As I went on and on about everything that was not quite right about work, she said one thing that made me think twice: “Maybe it’s not just the work, you need to let go of the stuff that’s weighing you down…”
This made me think about all the baggage, both personal and professional, we take with us into our careers and business, not realizing that they may account for some or a large part of our lack of success at work.
Instead of continuing on the path of blaming external people and circumstances for not doing so well professionally, here are 3 things you may need to let go of:
- Your limiting beliefs
Many of us have formed limiting beliefs since childhood, often from well-meaning adults. Parents and family members come with their own limited beliefs and tend to pass these on to their kids. “I’m shy”, “I’m not well-spoken”, or “I’m not powerful”, are examples of these beliefs that you may have gleaned from something a parent or family member may have said to you in early childhood. Without realizing it, you may have taken this with you to work or in your business. As a result, you may believe that you’re not able to accomplish certain tasks or that other people are a certain way.
Identify your limiting beliefs, or the things you believe about yourself which may not be true. What do you find yourself telling others or yourself about you? Are these things positive or limiting? If limiting, then it may be time to change the story you tell yourself about yourself.
- Your fears
What fears do you carry with yourself in the workplace or in your business? Are you deathly scared of rejection? Do the opinions of others matter so much to you that you tend to freeze before any accomplishment? Is your fear of money keeping you stuck in an unfulfilling career or business? There may be many fears that may be blocking your success at work.
Identifying these fears can go a long way towards reducing the professional obstacles in your way. Once you know what you are truly afraid of, you can more easily challenge or fight it.
Related: 7 ways to overcome our fear of being uncomfortable as women of color at work
- Your resentment towards others
Last but not least, one of the most surprising reasons why you may be stalling at work (and in life) has everything to do with forgiveness. This was taught to me by a high-performance coach who specializes in helping individuals maximize their potential. Carrying around resentment towards others creates negative energy that turns into procrastination, fear or just lack of energy and motivation.
Who do you need to forgive? What negative energy based on anger or resentment do you need to let go of? This right here may be one of the solutions to the blocks you may be experiencing at work.
Related: Let It Go: How Forgiveness Can Heal your Career
So let me ask you: Which of these three elements do you need to let go of?
The Corporate Sis.
