How well do you know your own mind?

Reply to this email: What’s one limiting belief you struggle with?
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Have you ever said the words, “I’m stuck in a rut?”

Maybe you didn’t say it — you just thought it to yourself. That’s even sneakier.

Or what about, “I can’t get myself to do it”?

These might seem like harmless little thoughts, but believe me when I say this:

Self-doubt is the most common thing I’ve seen stop people from achieving their goals. Period.

I’ve interviewed 900+ people who had the goal of being their own boss. No other reason even comes close.

We think there’s something external getting in our way.
“I don’t know how.”
“I don’t have the time.”
“I can’t afford to do it.”

But what’s actually getting in your way is this story you’re telling yourself.

In this article, we’re going to let this go.

Welcome to your mini cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) session.

Welcome to inspired idiots.

(I’m not a therapist, and this is not to be taken as medical advice).

“What I want is out of reach.”

When you’re telling yourself things like this, you’re giving yourself permission not to try.

It’s an excuse your brain is making up, because it feels easier to stay in your comfort zone.

And your brain loves to do what feels easy. Less thinking power.

If you’ve been on this list for a while, you’ve heard this before. But it’s worth repeating, because we all fall into this trap.

We all make excuses for ourselves so we can avoid discomfort.
We don’t want to fail.
Or feel confused. 
Or put ourselves out there, and maybe get rejected.

When you tell yourself “I’m stuck” or “I can’t get myself to do it” — what you’re really saying is, “I’m going to fail, so I might as well not even try.”

How does that feel to admit? Do you want that to be the story you live by?

Or, maybe, do you want to write a different one?

After years of therapy, I’ve become convinced that if everyone learned CBT, there’d be more happy people in this world.

It’s like learning how to be a detective for your own mind, so you don’t fall into these mindset traps anymore.

Here’s what you do instead:

1. Spot the thought: Notice when these limiting beliefs are popping up again, especially when you’re feeling upset or worried.

2. Check it: Ask yourself, “Is this 100% true, or am I just messing with myself? What would I tell my best friend if they had this thought?”

3. Prove it wrong: Ask yourself, “What’s one small action I can take right now that proves this wrong?”

Example: Let’s say you’ve just started a course that teaches you how to grow your own online business. And even though you really want to make that real, you’re procrastinating.

1. Spot the thought: “I’m thinking that I can’t do this. There’s too much to learn. I won’t be good at it. I’ll fail.”

2. Check it: “This thought isn’t 100% true, because I haven’t even tried yet. I’m just assuming I’ll fail because that’s what I’m afraid of. If this were my best friend, I’d encourage them to go for it.”

3. Prove it wrong: “I could set a small goal to watch one training video every day, and post in the group every time I do.”

Your thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected. Change one, and the others will slowly change too.

By doing this exercise, you’re noticing your limiting thoughts, and you’re practicing separating yourself from them.

So immediately, those thoughts have less power over you.

Then, you do one small action that proves it wrong.

It’s time to break out of that self-doubt cage you’ve been holding yourself in.

By noticing your thoughts and choosing a different behavior, you’re rewriting your whole story.

That’s all it takes.

Pay attention to the thoughts you tell yourself, and take baby steps in the direction you want to go.

Reply and tell me: What’s one thought you’re ready to let go of?
You could inspire our next newsletter!