What’s Holding You Back?

We all have those things in our lives that hold us back, that limit our ability to step outside of ourselves and the security blanket of familiarity to do something new and exciting.  The sneaking insecurities, the well-intentioned voices of reason, the very real fear of the unknown.  We drag our feet while dreaming of that next big career move, that project that will really rock the world if we could just get it started or working towards a brighter financial future.

There’s a monumental difference between not being able to do something and simply not being willing to do it. But, it’s not always easy to recognize when we sabotage our own success through our own indecision.  This is a topic that takes on a certain poignancy for me as I look back at where I am in my career and in my personal life. I struggle with the same human shortcomings as everyone else: procrastination, lack of motivation, sometimes even a lack of self confidence.  The journey through 2011 hasn’t been easy. Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s been downright brutal at times. Long hours, fighting for recognition and paying clients, sprouting more than a few gray hairs. Working in the startup world is exhilarating and terrifying all wrapped up into one – but I believe deeply in what Correctnicity stands for and I love being a part of the team that is shaping its future.

Whenever I feel unsatisfied or frustrated by my progress in something, I often find the question ‘what is holding me back?’ clanging about my brain.  It’s a powerful question because it gives me the opportunity to thoughtfully consider what’s amiss, what needs realigning. There are external realities that we all face: emotionally toxic environments that stifle and cramp, interruption-heavy schedules and lives in transition. But perhaps the most derailing are those obstacles that we build up ourselves: feeling disempowered by our intellectual abilities, fuzzy goals and objectives, the fear of falling down hard.

I can’t ignore the tugging any longer. I want to make a dent in this crazy world we live in, one stroke at a time. Meet challenges and obstacles with a grin and a hefty helping of chutzpah. 2012 is going to be a year of changes for me, both personally and professionally.  I don’t know what that means in specifics just yet, but it’ll be all about having doors open because I’m the one turning the knob.

So, what’s holding you back?