It’s a harsh reality but sometimes the only thing stopping you from reaching your goals is you. Read these tips for how to get out of your own way, and progress to your dream destination faster!

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in or your field of expertise, everyone experiences mental barriers. You could be a beginner vlogger or an expert video editor, occasionally self-doubt can creep in. Whilst this is totally human and natural, it can become a problem. That’s if you don’t know how to deal with it.

There could be a number of things holding you back from reaching your chosen milestones. Crippling imposter syndrome might lead you to believe you haven’t got the right skills or knowledge. Or maybe you overthink things so much that you talk yourself out of exciting opportunities every time. If you let negative self-talk and your imagined barriers take over, you could end up losing out big time. Here are our tips on how to hype yourself up and get out of your own way.

Ditch Perfect

A lot of the time, people are put off from taking opportunities or trying new things in case they aren’t perfect. But, we’re forgetting that basically nobody is perfect at something on their first try. The fear of failing takes such a hold on us that we don’t cut ourselves the same slack as we would someone else.

Perfection is subjective anyway. Who’s deciding whether what you do is good enough or not? You’re bound to be your harshest critic, so try ditching the idea that things have to be perfect straight away. You’ll find yourself feeling a lot more free once you do.

Write It Down

Whatever it is that’s bothering you, whether it’s fear of embarrassment, fear of failing, write it down. The power of journaling has been noted by many as an aid for reframing negative thoughts and dealing with anxieties. Once you write something down, you are releasing it from your brain.

This also allows you to look physically down at your negative thoughts and view them objectively. Analyse them. Why are you feeling this way? What’s really the worst that could happen?

Try Winging It

It can feel like in order to succeed we must always have a plan. And if you don’t have a fully detailed plan that can put you off trying at all. But actually, winging it can be just as fruitful.

Winging it can be a great approach to help you dive into something, without giving yourself enough time to talk yourself out of it. Figuring out the finer details along the way can sometimes come more naturally as a wheel is in motion.

Create Solutions

Challenge yourself to offer a solution to every negative thought that pops into your head. It can be easy to treat the negatives as final, and quit before even beginning. For example, you could have an awesome idea for a TV sketch show, but you tell yourself you’ll never have enough money to fund it.

Get practical. Instead of accepting this fate, research how other independent creators get funding. Work out a budget, apply for grants. There’s nearly always some kind of option out there if you look for it.

Take a Breather

If you have lots of ambitions and goals you want to achieve, you can get so flustered that you don’t actually work on reaching any. It may sound counterintuitive but taking some time out could help you get out of your own way.

Rather than burning out or working yourself up into a frenzy, find some time to meditate. Apps like Headspace or Calm are perfect for quieting the mind and taking a moment for yourself. Practising meditation can help you organise your thoughts and work out the next steps towards reaching your goals.