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5 Mental Barriers to Real Greatness Only You Can Remove

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5 Mental Barriers to Real Greatness Only You Can Remove

There is nothing more inspiring than witnessing greatness, and watching those who have dedicated their entire life to a craft. Most haven’t thought about greatness, because they don’t think it’s possible. In a time of insurmountable change, overwhelming complexity and relentless competition, going after greatness is a viable way to rise above the noise.

Most people grow up fitting in, because that’s what is expected of them. You get reprimanded and disciplined if you speak up, act out or try to be “different” in school. Well, in entrepreneurship and business, being different is how you separate yourself from the herd. By that, I mean stand out versus fit in and differentiating yourself instead of comparing yourself to others.

Earl Nightingale was one of the first business philosophers of our time said something I’ll never forget: “If you were setting out to accomplish something and you had no role models to emulate, you could get a good start by looking at what everybody else was doing – and not doing it.

How do you know if you’re even built for greatness? And if you are, can you handle being the best?

Here are the five reasons why, sadly, most entrepreneurs will never reach greatness:

1. They don’t love failure

Through adversity comes greatness, and through failure comes a sharper perspective, but only if you analyze the experience. Success won’t happen unless you’re willing to sacrifice and suffer. How you respond to failure determines your success. A high tolerance for stress and failure is a skill successful people are highly paid for. You must understand failure is a crucial part of growth, and is a good thing if approached with the right perspective.

When you understand failure is a good thing, you take it on with courage and confidence. You become wiser and can make more educated decisions when you have a higher understanding about what you have failed in, whether it’s life or business. You must stay loyal to yourself through failure. Don’t be too tough on yourself during failure. You must always be building your confidence. Most start beating themselves up, but the select few leverage failure for even greater success.

“Failure doesn’t mean the game is over, it means try again with experience.” – Len Schlesinger

2. They take too many opinions

We learn so much from what we hear, and those dedicated to greatness are very selective listeners. A lot of entrepreneurs are quick to take opinions from anybody giving them. Start listening to voices of value, and to those who have the experience, ideas, and reputation you’re striving to emulate. Listen to people you would trade places with, and listen to people who have already experienced the success you’re aiming for.

Become an observer of those who are winning and those who are losing. Take mental notes of the habits, attitudes, perspectives of the people achieving and living a good life. Learn all about your industry, your subject, and study what the top people do. A smart person learns from their mistakes, as all leaders do, but those who operate at a world-class level shorten their learning curve by learning from others people’s mistakes and not wasting time making the same ones.

 

3. They can’t give up the need to be liked

Do you care what people think about you? It shouldn’t matter if you stay true to yourself and live authentically. The reason most don’t take risks, live on the edge or push the envelope is the fear of what others might think of them. If you want to live the life you truly deserve, the one of significance and fulfillment, you must give up the need to be liked by everybody. As Will Smith said, “Trying to get everybody to like you is the most common chosen road to mediocrity.”

The more you fear people, the less effective you will be. Somebody who worries about the opinions of others will live in fear and never take action. Those who are so confident in who they are, and what they believe in, will take massive action because the opinions of others don’t affect their mindset. Only when you give up the need to be liked can you live a life of success and significance. Stay fearless in everything you do, and remember, comparison is the root of all misery.

 

4. They aren’t obsessed

Warren Buffet summed it up best: “Obsession is the DNA of greatness.” Obsession is the hallmark of genius. If you aren’t obsessed with what you do, greatness will remain a fantasy. Have a deep passion for your craft, because your passion will keep you going when you feel like giving up. Genius is not genetics. It’s persistence in a specific craft, along with deep daily practice.

Be a specialist, and whether it’s your business, your sport or a specific skill, stay obsessed. Don’t try to be great at 50 things. Be obsessed about the few things that can really move your life and business forward. Remember, “Never give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about.”

“Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe dedicated.”

5. They hang around toxic people

If you want to become legendary, study legends. A lot of people talk about greatness, but hang around mediocrity. The people around you should energize you, not deplete your energy. Make sure you’re around people who challenge you and hold you accountable instead of letting you off the hook. This is one of the greatest ways to increase your peace of mind, energy and motivation.

Say goodbye to the people who suck up your energy and don’t make you feel exceptional. Your standards will rise and fall based on who you associate with. You won’t believe how much stress is released once you decide to minimize your time with those who complain, play the victim role and make excuses.

What mental barriers are stopping you from being successful? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!

Peter Voogd is a 2x Best Selling Author, and the founder of the prestigious Game Changers Academy.  He’s been labeled the leading authority on Gen Y leadership. He’s been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, inc.com, Time, HuffPost along with many other international publications.  He’s trained over  6,000 young entrepreneurs personally and his podcasts, videos, websites, and social media reaches over 1 million people monthly.  He’s known for his No BS approach to life and entrepreneurship.

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Life

How Learning the Skill of Hope Can Change Everything

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life

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Hope as a skill
Image Credit: Midjourney

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life.

Wishful thinking, on the other hand, is like having dreams in the sky without a ladder to climb, having a destination without a map, or trying to operate a jet-engine airplane without instructions. It sounds nice but is impossible to realize. You don’t have what you need to make it happen!

What Real Hope Is

Real hope is actionable, practical, and realistic. Better yet, it’s feasible and can be learned.

One popular approach is Hope Theory. This concept is used by colleges to study how hope impacts students’ academic performance. Researchers found that students with high levels of hope achieve better grades and are more likely to graduate compared to those with less hope.

Hope can be broken down into two components:

  1. Pathways – The “how to” of hope. This is where people think of and establish plans for achieving their goals.
  2. Agency – The “I can” of hope. This is the belief that the person can accomplish their goals.

Does Hope Really Work?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, hope as a noun is defined as: “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.”

As humans, we are wired to crave fulfillment. We have the ability to envision it and, through hope, make it a reality.

My Experience with Hope

For 13 years, I was a hopeless human. During my time working at a luxury hotel as a front desk agent earning $11.42 per hour, I felt the sting of hopelessness the most.

The regret of feeling my time was being stolen from me lingered every time I clocked in. Eventually, I decided to do something about it.

I gave myself permission to hope for something better. I began establishing pathways to success and regained agency by learning from self-help books and seeking mentorship.

Because I took action toward something I desired, I now feel more hope and joy than I ever felt hopelessness. Hope changed me.

Hope Actually Improves Your Life

Wishful thinking doesn’t work, and false hope is equally ineffective. Real hope, however, is directly tied to success in all areas of life.

Studies show that hopeful people tend to:

  • Demonstrate better problem-solving skills
  • Cultivate healthier relationships
  • Maintain stronger motivation to achieve goals
  • Exhibit better work ethic
  • Have a positive outlook on life

These benefits can impact work life, family life, habit-building, mental health, physical health, and spiritual practice. Imagine how much better your life could be by applying real hope to all these areas.

How to Develop the Skill to Hope

As acclaimed French writer Jean Giono wrote in The Man Who Planted Trees:
“There are also times in life when a person has to rush off in pursuit of hopefulness.”

If you are at one of those times, here are ways to develop the skill to hope:

1. Dream Again

To cultivate hope, you need to believe in its possibility. Start by:

  • Reflecting on what you’re passionate about, your values, and what you want to achieve.
  • Writing your dreams down, sharing them with someone encouraging, or saying them out loud.
  • Creating a vision board to make your dreams feel more tangible.

Dreams are the foundation of hope—they give you something meaningful to aspire toward.

2. Create an Environment of Hope

  • Set Goals: Write down your goals and create a plan to achieve them.
  • Visualize Success: Use inspirational quotes, photos, or tools like dumbbells or canvases to remind yourself of your goals.
  • Build a Resource Library: Collect books, eBooks, or audiobooks about hope and success to inspire you.

An environment that fosters hope will keep you motivated, resilient, and focused.

3. Face the Challenges

Don’t avoid challenges—overcoming them builds confidence. Participating in challenging activities, like strategic games, can enhance your problem-solving skills and reinforce hope.

4. Commit to Wisdom

Seek wisdom from those who have achieved what you aspire to. Whether through books, blogs, or social media platforms, learn from their journeys. Wisdom provides the foundation for real, actionable hope.

5. Take Note of Small Wins

Reflecting on past victories can fuel your hope for the future. Ask yourself:

  • What challenges have I already overcome?
  • How did I feel when I succeeded?

By remembering those feelings of happiness, relief, or satisfaction, your brain will naturally adopt a more hopeful mindset.

Conclusion

Hope is more than wishful thinking—it’s a powerful skill that can transform your life. By dreaming again, creating a hopeful environment, facing challenges, seeking wisdom, and celebrating small wins, you can develop the real hope necessary for success in all aspects of life.

Let hope guide you toward a brighter, more fulfilling future.

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Life

The 5 Stages of a Quarter-Life Crisis & What You Can Do

A quarter-life crisis isn’t a sign you’ve lost your way; it’s a sign you’re fighting for a life that’s truly yours.

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what is a quarter life crisis
Image Credit: Midjourney

The quarter-life crisis is a well-defined set of stages—Trapped, Checking Out, Separation, Exploration, Rebuilding—one goes through in breaking free from feelings of meaninglessness, lack of fulfillment, and misalignment with purpose. I detail the stages and interweave my story below. (more…)

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Life

Here’s The Thing About Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning

Stop hoarding and start sharing your knowledge and wealth for the benefit of humankind

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sharing your knowledge
Image Credit: Midjourney

Few people have the habit of hoarding their wealth without spending.  However, it limits their motivation as they tend to get into their comfort zones.  When people start spending money, then there will be depletion in their coffers. (more…)

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Life

3 Steps That’ll Help You Take Back Control of Your Life Immediately

The key to finding “enough” is recognizing that the root of the problem is a question of self-esteem and deservedness

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How to build self worth
Image Credit: Midjourney

“It’s never enough.” (more…)

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