What's Really Holding You Back?
Time to read: 4 minutes
Hi Reader
I spent years believing my impact was limited by circumstances beyond my control.
The connections I didn't have. The resources that weren't available. The knowledge I was still building before I could make a real difference.
The story I told myself was comforting – it wasn't my fault, just wrong timing or insufficient leverage.
Until I started looking deeper.
And that’s when I had to own up to an important truth: the most significant barriers weren't external at all. They were internal – subtle, persistent patterns that kept me safely within my comfort zone while providing perfect-sounding excuses.
The silent power of self-imposed limits
These invisible constraints feel absolutely true when we're in them. Because they operate below the surface, making them far more powerful than any external obstacle.
And they can seem surprisingly inconsistent. You might feel completely confident in most situations, then suddenly find yourself hesitating when a specific opportunity arises.
I've heard these constraints in countless coaching conversations:
- "I'm not quite ready yet." (While the opportunity passes by)
- "I need to be certain before I commit." (As if certainty ever comes before action)
- "What if I succeed and still feel unfulfilled?" (The quiet fear that keeps ambitious people safely circling)
- "Someone like me doesn't typically..." (The identity ceiling we build ourselves)
These aren't just passing speed-bumps. They're like driving with an invisible handbrake engaged. Everything requires more effort and progress is consistently slower.
And the real cost becomes clear over time: every day you hold yourself back is a day of lost impact, stalled momentum, and unrealised potential.
A quick ask: please take 2 mins to vote on what you'd like me to cover in my next free workshop:
👉 LinkedIn Poll: What’s getting in the way of your biggest impact?
Four Steps to Release Your Handbrake
1. Recognize Your Specific Pattern
These constraints have signatures – they’re not generic “fear” or “doubt.” They show up with specific timing, voice and feeling.
I’ve noticed my perfectionism appears precisely when I’m about to launch something meaningful. I’m tempted to hang on and polish that little bit more. For others, impostor feelings activate during key leadership moments, or ambition mysteriously “goes cold” just as they approach a new level.
The key is identifying your pattern. Not the textbook version – your version.
2. Challenge the Comfort of Constraint
My personal and coaching experiences have taught me that our constraints often provide hidden comfort. They protect us from rejection, judgment, and the weight of our potential.
Instead, challenge that comfort by asking:
- “How is staying here serving me?”
- "How is it serving those who'd benefit from my full impact?"
The answer might just be the reframe you need. So then consider:
- “What if the opposite of my fear were true?”
When you sit with this question, and challenge what's actually real, the path forward often becomes clearer.
3. Change Your Proximity
Our environment shapes what we believe is possible. If you’re consistently the most ambitious person in every room, your vision of what’s possible stays limited.
Seek out people who are stretching in ways that resonate with your deeper ambitions. Not to imitate them, but to normalise the level of impact you’ve been quietly editing down.
This isn’t about unhelpful comparison but about reframing your sense of what’s possible.
4. Take Ownership Through Action
You don’t need to seek out yet another "one secret thing" framework or more information. You need movement.
Select one small, meaningful action that sits just beyond your comfort zone. It doesn't need to be a dramatic leap. Just something with enough stretch to challenge your constraint and prove it isn’t as solid as it feels.
Then take that action before your analytical mind catches up with all the “reasons” to hesitate.
Driving Without Limits
When I finally addressed my internal blockers, the mental energy I’d been using to maintain those constraints redirected toward making a real difference.
Initiatives I’d once deemed “too ambitious” became clear opportunities. My impact deepened.
For you, this shift might look different. Perhaps it’s finally launching that bold initiative. Maybe it’s stepping into a leadership role you’ve been circling. Or articulating a vision you’ve kept safely contained.
Whatever form it takes, releasing your handbrake creates space for:
- Decision-making that feels clearer and more aligned
- Action that comes from conviction, not obligation
- A lightness that replaces the weight of self-constraint
- Energy directed toward impact, not justification
I want you to experience the alignment and fulfillment that comes when your actions match your true potential for impact.
So ask yourself:
What invisible handbrake might be limiting your progress right now?
What would it look like to release it?
Identifying and addressing these internal constraints is central to the work we do in the Ambition Accelerator – helping purposeful professionals move beyond self-imposed limitations to create their most meaningful impact.
Whether you're sensing something's off but can't name it, have ideas but keep tweaking instead of moving, or have a clear vision you haven't fully claimed – there's a next step waiting.
I'd love to hear what this email sparked for you. Just reply to this email – I respond to every message personally
Stay ambitious.
Rob
Was this forwarded to you? Sign up to Ignition Point
Sparked Ambition Ltd | linkedin.com/in/robstubbs