On my powerful introspective calls, I’ve noticed several crippling patterns. Here, I will share 3.
These patterns are often the core differentiating factors that help us excel or hold us back.
These patterns have become very obvious in my conversations with entrepreneurs from all walks of life. I’ve had calls with the first time entrepreneur, millionaires, ex-millionaires, CEOs of small companies, and CEOs of companies with Fortune 500 clients.
I share these patterns to help raise awareness because, when I bring them to the attention of the entrepreneur or CEO I’m speaking with, they’re not always aware of what they’re doing.
That’s ok, this isn’t good or bad, it’s only the reality of where people are at in life. I honor everyone’s journey, as I honor my own.
The “measuring stick” or the “criteria” I’m using that makes this article worth writing is simple. It is understanding the way of being that can strengthen who we are in our journey. That’s what I do, I take entrepreneurs from where they are to where they want to be. Select clients get access to an artificial intelligence that enhances our time together, too.
I’ve found these principles to be as obvious and strong as gravity.
1. Not speaking in first person.
What is an introspective call, anyway? Introspection is the examination of one’s mental and emotional processes. There is no rubric or criteria I follow on my calls. The agenda is set by honoring the person in front of me and where they want to go.
You may wonder, if it’s about the examination of one’s own mental and emotional processes in the interest of taking them to where they want to be, why wouldn’t someone speak in first person?
That’s the thing, most people aren’t aware they’re doing it.
When I hear the person on the other end of the phone answer a powerful question, how they respond speaks to their relationship with the question.
If someone responds in first person, then they take ownership over the question and they answer it. If someone doesn’t take ownership, they respond in second person. They say things like, “You find yourself wanting to do this... and you find how...” I kindly bring this to their awareness. (I’ve also written about this behavior before)
We cannot take ownership over our life when our words do not indicate ownership.
2. Talking about “other people”
Sometimes, I’ll ask a powerful question and I hear the person take part ownership... and then they’ll bring in “other people.” They’ll talk about “most entrepreneurs,” or “most people,” or “the masses,” or “the status quo.”
What do we get out of doing this?
Often, I’ve seen this used when someone is trying to justify their way of being. Or maybe to justify why they are not being a certain way.
When someone does this, they teach me they’re not thinking for themselves. They’re allowing others to influence who they are being, consciously or not.
When we invest our energy on "other people" and allow it to influence who we are being, we are not living for what we want. We are living for others.
3. Not slowing down to think
I’ve written before about the importance of slowing down to speed up. When we recognize that we’re often in autopilot, we can learn to slow down, unpack who we are being, and put it back together in a way that we believe in.
From what I’ve seen, and knowing who I’ve been, when we speak very fast and do not know how to slow down it’s usually the result of internal discomfort, internal tension, and conflicting inner narratives. This is the power of introspection, it allows us to see who we are being and create strength in who we are being.
Slowing down allows us to create the strength to execute against our vision for the future we want.
When we are powerful
These 3 self-limiting patterns are not true for successful and powerful entrepreneurs.
These 3 patterns often correlate to someone’s level of success.
When we are powerful, we take ownership over our lives. We own our perspective, beliefs, wants, and vision.
When we are powerful, we are not focused on “other people” and we do not allow them to dictate who we are being.
When we are powerful, we understand the value of slowing down to speed up and we make time for it.
Read on to learn about when we are powerful.
