The goal seemed overwhelming at the start, but you threw yourself into it anyway. It might have even gone well for a while.

But now things have skidded to a halt, and you’re not entirely sure what happened. 

You’re in over your head, and you’re not sure what to do. Now you have a choice. 

Quit here and never know the sweet victory that is so tantalisingly out of reach or bust through your limitations to live an outstanding life.

Sound familiar?

We’ve all had these moments. 

The key lies in knowing what to do next. 

And before I reveal these four tips to get you back on the road to success, I want to share with you how to recognise your self-imposed limitations. This is important so you can push past them.

When you’ve been trying and failing too often, you need to determine if you are as limited as you think you are, or is there something else going on?

It could be that you’ve limited yourself. Most limitations are, in fact, self-imposed, for one reason or another. 

So how can you tell when a limitation is real or something else entirely?

Look for the word “they.” 

Anytime you make a ‘they’ statement what you’re talking about is your self-doubt. You may feel like ‘they’ are keeping you in the same tedious job or from becoming financially independent. Still, in truth, it’s your fear holding you back.

Have you checked your motivation? 

It could be that you’ve lost sight of why you want what you want. When your goal becomes muddled and unclear, it can look and feel like a limitation. 

Are you feeling vulnerable? 

When you’re worried about how you’re going to look to other people, it’s easy to put limitations on your actions.

Let’s face it; no one likes to be the subject of other peoples laughter.

The question is, is anyone paying any attention?

Most of the time when we’re worried about how we’re going to be perceived, there’s no one even paying close attention. 

Do you lack confidence? 

If you’ve started doubting your ability to reach your goal, it’s easy to formulate limitations to keep you from having to go further.

If this is the case, then it’s time to look back at your history. Where have you succeeded before? What does that tell you about your ability to handle this situation?

Have you tried asking for help? 

Are you stalled out due to lack of knowledge or because you’ve gone as far as you can on your own? It might be time to enlist the help and support of a mentor or partner to help you push past this particular limitation.

Where are you emotionally? 

Is depression or worry, keeping you down and inventing excuses to stall out? Address the emotional issues that are making you feel like you can’t get past this point.

Do you need a mental health day? 

If you’ve been plugging along for a while without seeing much success, it’s easy to get burned out and then perceive that as a limitation.

Try taking a day off so you can get your head back in the game tomorrow.

Recognising when you’re at the root of these self-imposed limitations is a good thing because that means you also have the tools to get past this point.

Close self-examination will help you determine what you need to do to move past this point, and so find the success that is waiting for you. 

With your greater awareness of your limitations, these four tips will get you back on the road to success. 

Stop and listen to yourself. 

What’s going on in your head right now?

Frequenting stalling out happens because you’ve either decided that the task is impossible, or you’ve talked yourself out of thinking you can do it. 

It’s at this point that you need to shut down that negative self-talk and focus on the positive.

Yes, the goal is possible.

Yes, you are perfectly capable. 

If you need proof, find examples of times you have succeeded.

Look to other people who have been where you are and who have made it through. Let these things guide you instead of a lot of self-induced negativity.

Break out of the comfort zone. 

A lot of times we stall out because we’re not comfortable with going forward. These kinds of limitations arise because we fear the unknown. 

By being bold and trying something new, you’re bound to surprise yourself in some good ways.

Address your weaknesses. 

It’s hard to admit when you don’t have all the answers.

But when a lack of knowledge is limiting you, the solution is relatively easy. 

In today’s online world, you have the option of searching for answers on the Internet.

Also, if you need something more in-depth to move you forward, there is a wealth of online courses available. 

Accept this limitation as being temporary, and then set about correcting it using whatever means necessary.

Make use of your support system. 

Many limitations are the result of just being burned out. Here’s where it’s good to have mentors and friends to help pull you up when you’re feeling down. 

Reach out to someone you trust and talk the problem through with them. Who knows, maybe they can even help you to brainstorm a solution.

Busting through your limitations is just a matter of paying attention to where and when they happen.

An outstanding life is so close to you. Aren’t you ready to reach out and grab it?

Related Articles:

How To Build Resilience, Your Competitive Advantage

Make Creativity Your Superpower

Build the Courage to Achieve Anything