To truly operate at a high level in both your life and business, it’s not just about strategy—it’s about removing the internal blocks that hold you back. As a leader, the obstacles you face are often mental and emotional, not just tactical. Here are eight performance blockers that could be stalling your growth and practical steps to overcome each one:
1. Past Wounds & Trauma
Block: Past experiences, whether personal or professional, can create emotional scars that make you overly cautious. This trauma can prevent you from taking the necessary risks required for growth.
How to Overcome It:
- Get Honest With Yourself: Reflect on past wounds and recognize how they affect your decisions today. Journaling or talking with a coach or therapist can help.
- Unlearn Negative Lessons: Challenge old beliefs about yourself and replace them with healthier, more empowering ones. Therapy or self-help techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help reframe your thought patterns.
2. Self-Doubt & Imposter Syndrome
Block: Constantly questioning your abilities or feeling like an imposter prevents you from moving forward. This self-sabotage leads to inaction, missed opportunities, and burnout.
How to Overcome It:
- Acknowledge Your Achievements: Reflect on your past successes and recognize the value you bring. Celebrate wins—big and small.
- Stop Comparing Yourself to Others: Focus on your own growth, not on someone else’s journey. Use positive affirmations and confidence-building exercises to reinforce your self-worth.
3. Uncertainty
Block: When you lack clarity about your goals, direction, or vision, it leads to apathy and indecision. Without a clear plan, you may chase distractions or settle for quick wins rather than sustained success.
How to Overcome It:
- Set Clear, Specific Goals: Break your big vision down into actionable steps. Define your “why” and create a roadmap for how to get there.
- Create a Daily or Weekly Plan: Stay focused by developing a structured plan that aligns with your goals. Review and adjust your priorities regularly.
4. Boredom
Block: When your schedule is filled with tasks you dread, it can erode your passion and energy. Boredom drains your motivation and makes it hard to stay engaged in your business or personal life.
How to Overcome It:
- Delegate or Outsource: Identify tasks that you find boring or draining and delegate them. Consider hiring help or using automation tools.
- Focus on What Excites You: Reevaluate your role and responsibilities—align them with your passions and strengths. Spend more time on activities that energize you.
5. Lack of Energy
Block: Physical fatigue directly impacts your performance. If you’re not taking care of your body, you’ll find it hard to stay productive, creative, and engaged in your business.
How to Overcome It:
- Prioritize Sleep and Nutrition: Make sure you’re getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night and eating nourishing, balanced meals. A well-rested body fuels a sharp mind.
- Exercise Regularly: Even a short daily workout can significantly boost your energy levels. Regular physical activity improves both physical and mental health.
6. A Lack of Time
Block: Entrepreneurs often over-schedule themselves, believing that every moment needs to be filled with activity. However, this leads to burnout, burnout leads to burnout, and creativity suffers.
How to Overcome It:
- Schedule White Space: Build time into your calendar for rest, reflection, and creative thinking. Block off periods where you have no meetings or tasks scheduled.
- Learn to Say No: Not everything demands your attention. Prioritize high-impact activities that align with your goals, and learn to delegate or decline lower-priority tasks.
7. Anxiety
Block: Anxiety, particularly from past business experiences or fear of new ventures, can cloud your judgment, prevent you from making clear decisions, and cause you to shy away from risks.
How to Overcome It:
- Mindfulness and Stress-Reduction Techniques: Practice mindfulness, meditation, or breathing exercises to reduce anxiety and stay calm under pressure.
- Reframe Past Experiences: View past mistakes or failures as learning opportunities. Work with a coach or therapist to address lingering fears or guilt.
8. Misaligned Expectations
Block: Unrealistic expectations can set you up for failure, disappointment, and burnout. Whether you expect immediate success or fear inevitable failure, misaligned expectations create self-fulfilling prophecies.
How to Overcome It:
- Balance Optimism with Realism: While you should visualize success and aim for ambitious goals, balance this with a realistic view of potential setbacks. Build resilience and stay flexible.
- Adjust Expectations as Needed: Continuously assess whether your expectations match the reality of your business or life. Adjust them to stay aligned with your actual growth trajectory.
Bonus: Isolation
Block: Entrepreneurship can be isolating, especially when you’re shouldering the burden of leadership alone. This isolation stifles creativity, leads to burnout, and keeps you from seeking help when needed.
How to Overcome It:
- Build a Support Network: Seek out mentors, peers, or coaching groups where you can share ideas, challenges, and wins. Regularly connect with other like-minded leaders to combat loneliness. Consider joining EC Membership to gain access to a community of entrepreneurs and executives who can offer support, guidance, and valuable insights.
- Be Vulnerable: Don’t be afraid to share your struggles. Vulnerability builds trust and strengthens relationships, which in turn creates a stronger support system.
How to Remove These Blocks
To operate at your highest potential, you must address these performance blockers head-on. Working with a coach or therapist can provide invaluable insight into your mental and emotional roadblocks, and help you develop strategies to break free from them.
Remember, your business is a reflection of your leadership. The healthier, more grounded you are as a leader, the better your business will perform. By upgrading your systems, removing time-wasters, and eliminating performance blockers, you can achieve exponential growth.
Start making these shifts today, and watch both your leadership and your business soar.
This lesson comes from Neal Samudre, Executive Coach, EC Advisor, and Founder of Entrecare. Enjoyed the content? Explore our upcoming workshops on the events page, and don’t miss our Lunch N’ Learns held every second Thursday of the month!
