The Beliefs Holding You Back from Your Next Level of Success

We all experience life in different ways, shaped by our beliefs, experiences, and the stories that are often running on repeat in our heads daily. But what if the very beliefs that have driven your success are now the ones holding you back?

 

We are not machines, programmed to operate in only one way. What works for you might not work for me—and that’s not just okay, it’s the beauty of being human. Growth, leadership, and success are not about rigidly clinging to what we think we know. They are about curiosity, adaptability, and creating the margin to ask perspective-shifting questions.

 

Because here’s the truth: The number one thing keeping you from your next level of success is your current level of success.

Most of us rarely question our core beliefs. We hold onto them because they feel familiar, comfortable—even when they no longer serve us. But if we truly want to grow, we must be willing to challenge them.

 

Try this exercise:

For example, if you believe “Success requires constant hard work and struggle,” ask yourself:

What if success could come with flow and ease? What if effort and impact didn’t have to mean exhaustion?

Or if you believe “I need to have all the answers to be a great leader,” ask yourself:
What if the best leaders don’t have all the answers—but instead, ask the best questions?

This practice isn’t about proving yourself wrong. It’s about expanding your perspective, opening new doors, and stepping into a version of success that is aligned with who you are becoming, not just who you have been.

 

We often measure success by external markers—titles, revenue, influence. But true success is deeply personal. It should look different for each of us, evolving as we do.

 

The real shift happens when we remove the attachment we place on outcomes. When we no longer tie our self-worth to whether we perfectly execute a plan or reach a predefined milestone, but rather the progress we are making each day.

 

Because when success is no longer about proving yourself, it becomes about expressing yourself. And that changes everything.

 

I have always been a driven, focused, independent woman. I love challenges, and deep in my core, I believe I can do anything. But like many powerful beliefs, this one is a double-edged sword—yes, I can do anything (and so can you), but not all at the same time.

 

Early in my career, I tried. I was determined to excel in my corporate leadership role in finance, be an incredible mother, wife, sister, and friend, volunteer in my community, and continue studying and learning in every spare moment. My life was a nonstop cycle of achievement, where success was measured by accolades, awards, perfect execution, and external validation. The bigger the bonus, the higher the grade, the more recognition—I tracked it all, and my self-worth rose and fell with the results.

 

If I wasn’t excelling at everything, I wasn’t enough.

 

It took years before I started to realize that while I could do anything, I didn’t have to do everything. And more importantly, my value wasn’t tied to how much I achieved or how perfectly I performed.

 

I began to shift my focus—prioritizing what mattered most in different seasons of life and setting goals accordingly. At first, I was still striving, still seeking a sense of perfection, but the intensity started to ease. Then one day, I asked myself the very question I’m posing to you now: ⤵️

 

“What do I know to be true?”

That simple question cracked open everything I thought I knew about success, self-worth, and fulfillment. I started challenging my beliefs—about how I measured success, about my health, my relationships, my strengths, and even my spirituality.

 

And in doing so, I redefined what success meant to me.

 

It was no longer about external markers of achievement. Instead, I created a new measurement: Did I wake up with energy and enthusiasm? Because if I did, it meant that the day before, I had shown up as my highest and best self. And if I could do that, I could do it again today.

 

From that point on, something shifted. Success no longer felt like a relentless chase. Day after day, flow and ease began to rise—even in the face of challenges.

 

Because the truth is, the freedom you’re seeking isn’t found in achieving more. It’s found in redefining what enough looks like for you.

 

So I ask you:
What do you know to be true?
And what if the opposite is also true?

 

Here’s to choosing self-discovery over stagnation. To being endlessly curious—not just about the world, but about yourself. To embracing who you are, rather than the version of you that’s been shaped by external expectations.

 

Growth isn’t about discarding who you are, it’s about expanding who you are willing to become.

 

Are you willing to challenge what you know and step into something greater?  Comment below and share your thoughts!