What’s Holding You Back From Having Your Dream Job and Life?

Hint: It isn’t just money

I have two questions for you.

If you could be anything you want, what would it be?

What’s holding you back from having your dream job and life?

I’m passionate about helping people succeed. And I hate wasted human potential. Because you are reading this article, I’m assuming that you want more out of life. So I want to help.

Let’s start with a story about a man who can only move his face.

Who is Jon Marrow, and why should you care?

I learned about Jon Marrow this week. Jon suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and he’s one of the oldest survivors of the disease. Beyond living longer than most people with SMA, he has lived a life beyond what most of us can imagine. He’s a world-famous blogger, a millionaire, a public speaker, and a successful business owner.

And the only muscles he can move are in his face.

The reason you should care and why I brought him into this article is, I want you to read his story. And every time you feel you can’t do something, remind yourself that you can do anything if you have the right mindset. Then read Jon’s story again.

The big question is: What’s holding you back?

Before we get started, not all the points below will apply to every person. Skim the headings. The main points aren’t listed in any priority. So if something doesn’t fit you, move on to the next. My goal isn’t to teach you about what holds people back. My goal is to help you take action on whatever’s holding you back.

Let’s dig in.

Don’t fear making a mistake

People make mistakes. It is part of the human condition and impossible to avoid. But fearing making a mistake can stop action.

I started a carpet cleaning company with no experience, little money, and a beat-up old car. To make things more difficult, I didn’t have one customer, and I was moving my wife and me to a new town to go to an expensive private college. We had no money because we spent our savings on the cleaning equipment, no work or prospects of work, and not even a suitable vehicle.

Reading that paragraph screams mistake, mistake, mistake. But I did it anyway.

On the way to our rented duplex, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant. It was late in the evening and we were hungry. While we ate, I noticed their carpets were filthy. So I asked the manager if he would consider having us clean them. He agreed. We worked all night doing the job. And made our first money.

That little carpet cleaning company put me through college.

The takeaway:

Fearing a mistake isn’t the same thing as making one. And even if you make a mistake, it will probably not be as catastrophic as you fear.

Stop waiting for the right time

There is never a perfect time to do anything. And even when you think the time is right, something will come up that changes things.

The takeaway:

A good plan of action will determine when to start something. Depending on the project, other people will also dictate the timing. But there will never be the exact moment that guarantees there won’t be any problems. Most of the time, you pick a time and as long as there aren’t any major reasons to change it; you run with it.

Ignore people’s reaction

When we started our carpet cleaning company, people thought we were crazy. I’d been on one carpet cleaning job with a friend and had no other training. We’d never been in business before. And we were going to a city we knew nothing about. And I was 22 years old. Looking back, there were a lot of reasons for concern.

The plus side was I was 22 years old. A young person will do things that an older person wouldn’t even consider.

The takeaway:

There are always critics. Let me repeat that. You will never do anything that’s different or considered risky without critics. So, think through what you want to do, then do it.

I’ve owned 5 successful businesses and not one of them was started without people criticizing me. If you listen to your critics, you will not fulfill your dreams.

Quit needing more preparation and perfection

I’ve done nothing of substance where I felt totally prepared. There is always some doubt that either I’m not ready or the plan isn’t perfect.

The takeaway:

You always want to plan and prepare. But you don’t want to let preparation get out of control. There is always some learning on the job. Whether it is starting a business, getting married, or learning a new type of work, your preparation will fall short in some areas. When it happens, improvise. Don’t allow the feeling you aren’t ready to keep you from moving ahead.

End worrying about money

Money is a big issue. And it should be. But any new venture or change in life has the potential of hurting or benefiting our income.

Of the 5 businesses we’ve owned, we started all of them with little or no money. It would have been easier if we had a pot of gold. But we had something more valuable: we had a desire to own a business.

One business we started was a motorcycle parts and accessories store. With only a few hundred dollars to buy parts, I was able to get a few motorcycle parts suppliers to sell to me at wholesale prices. I bought what I could and sold them out of my garage on eBay. It was hard at first. Everything we made went right back into the business. Before we quit, we’d sold over $6 million in products and we had a successful online and brick and mortar business.

The takeaway:

Money is always a problem. It doesn’t matter if it’s a multibillion-dollar corporation or a small start-up. There are always money issues. If you don’t have any money, it is a problem. But it isn’t one you can’t overcome. You may have to be creative (we started on eBay), or maybe someone can lend you the money to get going, or there may be someone who can be a partner. If you want something bad enough, you will find a way.

And finding money isn’t limited to business. We went on a cruise to Hawaii. During the trip, I talked to people working on the ship who were in college. They worked on the ship during the summer and went on some great vacations in exchange for working. And they made money to pay their school bills.

Fantastic vacations, money for school, and having a job for the summer! How awesome is that?

Money doesn’t grow on trees, but if you are creative, you can find it all around you.

Finish limiting yourself

There are limits. Jon Marrow will never run a race or sew a shirt. But he has not allowed his physical limitations to stop his accomplishing more than most people.

The takeaway:

The biggest limiter in my life is my own mind. And I’ll bet it’s the same for you. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, healthy or not, you can accomplish most if not all of whatever you want. You don’t even have to be the smartest or best looking.

Self-imposed limits are the worst limitations of all. Taking Jon for example, he knows his physical limits, but he hasn’t limited his mind.

Follow his example.

Conclusion

What’s holding you back?

If you could be or do anything, what would it be?

I love reading and hearing about people who have succeeded in life and business. And I believe people can do and be far more than they ever imagined.

Do you have a success story? Have you overcome obstacles? What is your dream?

I’d love to hear about it.