How You’re Undermining Your Potential Every Day

Many people undermine their potential daily often without even realising it. It is a common issue across various industries and career levels and I often find it with the female clients I work with. Often it is rooted somewhere deeply as a learned behaviour maybe from past experiences from early childhood or even from a particularly difficult environment more recently.

The voices in our head that tell us things like:

• You are not good enough

• They can do it why cant you

• Things like this always happen to me

• They will probably think I am useless terrible unprofessional if I do say what I actually think or admit I do not know

Common Ways People Undermine Their Potential

1. Self Doubt and Impostor Syndrome – Believing you are not good enough prevents you from taking on challenges that would help you grow

2. Fear of Failure – Staying in your comfort zone limits your opportunities for advancement

3. Lack of Clear Goals – Without direction you may drift through your career without purpose

4. Procrastination – Delaying tasks or decisions results in missed opportunities

5. Negative Self Talk – Constant criticism erodes confidence and motivation

6. Comparing to Others – Measuring yourself against others leads to feelings of inadequacy

7. Settling for Mediocrity – Accepting less than what you are capable of prevents growth

8. Lack of Persistence – Giving up too easily leads to missed opportunities

9. Not Seeking Feedback – Avoiding feedback stops improvement and advancement

10. Ignoring Professional Development – Not investing in learning new skills makes you less competitive

How to Stop Undermining Your Potential

1. Develop Self Awareness – Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and question limiting thoughts

2. Set Specific Achievable Goals – Define clear measurable goals with an action plan

3. Embrace Failure as Learning – Reframe setbacks as opportunities to build resilience

4. Practice Positive Self Talk – Replace negative thoughts with affirmations

5. Focus on Your Journey – Concentrate on your progress instead of comparisons

6. Strive for Excellence Not Perfection – Aim for your best without getting stuck in perfectionism

7. Be Persistent – Keep moving forward with small consistent steps

8. Seek Feedback and Act on It – Use constructive feedback to grow

9. Adopt a Growth Mindset – Continuously seek new skills and knowledge

Final Note

By recognising these self limiting behaviours and taking proactive steps to overcome them you can stop undermining your potential and start realising your full capability

If the voices in your head are really loud right now book onto this Impostor Syndrome Slayer Workshop on 21st November – limited spaces available so secure your place today.