TCFBO #038: Breaking Through Your False Ceiling

Read Time: 3.5 minutes

Several years ago, we were speaking at an event in London for online marketers.

It wasn’t until we arrived at the venue that we discovered that a guy called Stuart Goldsmith was going to be speaking about copywriting.

And when we found out, Paul became quite excited at the thought of meeting him.

Why?

Because he wanted to personally thank Stuart.

You see, Stuart was the author of a book called “The Midas Method” that Paul had read in his early 20’s having just flunked his second year of university.

It wasn’t that someone had recommended the book or lent it to him.

He’d stumbled across a small advert for it in the back of a newspaper and had sent a cheque in the post to get the book delivered to him…by mail.

No Internet.

No instant download.

No instant gratification.

He had to wait several days for the cheque to clear and the book to be delivered.

When it finally arrived, he took it straight up to his room and started reading.

On page 37, Stuart gave an analogy that lit a fire in Paul that has stuck with him ever since.

Stuart explained that many of us live and work under a “false ceiling” of potential, a ceiling we’ve created from self-imposed, limiting beliefs about what we can achieve.

That’s not to say that physical limitations don’t exist.

They do.

No matter how much we wish, simply flapping our arms won't enable us to fly to the moon.

And if you’re in your 90’s, weigh 60kg and need a zimmer frame to help you walk, it’s unlikely you’re going to become the next world heavyweight boxing champion.

These physical limitations are what Stuart refers to as our “real ceiling,” i.e. the absolute limit to our potential.

But, as he then goes on to point out, our real ceiling is like the ceiling of a huge cathedral, at least one hundred feet above us.

Way higher than we tend to realise.

But here's the thing.

Most people operate under a false ceiling that's only three feet high!

They believe that their false ceiling is their real ceiling.

It’s not their real ceiling, but the belief that it is can be incredibly convincing.

The problem is we set artificial limits based on fear, past experiences or societal expectations.

And these cramp us, restrict us and prevent us from reaching for the heights we're actually capable of achieving.

After all, if you’re operating under the illusion that your ceiling is only three feet high and the reality is that your ceiling is over one hundred feet high, that’s at least ninety-seven feet of unfulfilled potential available to play with.

And the likelihood is, that your current wildest dreams reside somewhere around the fifty feet mark!

So, how do we break free from this cramped space and start living up to our true potential?

Here are five things that have helped us and our clients.

1. Acknowledge Your Own False Ceiling.

Recognise where you may be holding yourself back in different areas of your life and business.

What limitations have you accepted without question?

2. Challenge Your Beliefs.

Test the boundaries you’ve set for yourself.

Are they based on fact?

Or are they just assumptions?

Or are they based on a story you’ve been telling yourself over and over again until you came to believe it as absolute fact?

3. Set Goals That Stretch You.

If you’re focused on creating your life and business visions, chances are you’re already stepping outside your comfort zone on a regular basis.

If you’re not clear on your vision yet, get clear.

Your heart’s desires will almost certainly challenge what you currently perceive yourself as capable of.

4. Cultivate a Growth Mindset.

Stay curious.

View failures as opportunities to learn.

Embrace new challenges.

As they say: “Every day’s an education!”

5. Seek Inspiration.

Look for stories of people who have achieved great things despite their limitations.

If you read them with one eye on your own self-imposed limitations, you can use their example to redefine what you perceive as possible for your own life and business.

In our experience, this is an ongoing exercise.

So keep a constant look out for where you may be placing limitations on yourself.

Then do whatever you can to push through those false ceilings.

Let us know how you get on and we’ll see you next week.

Paul & Philly

Whenever you’re ready, there are three ways we can help you:

1. Grab a copy of Paul’s book “Backwards Planning - A Simple Method to Move You and Your Business Forward” to discover how to reverse engineer a life and business you truly love.

2. Book a facilitated “Life Vision Session” to start creating a life and business that are fully aligned with your heart’s desires. We’ll arrange a pre-session call with you to say “Hi”, explain how the Life Vision Session works and answer any questions you may have.

3. Apply to join “The Clear Focus Business Academy” to ensure your business is the most effective it can be at providing the money and lifestyle you desire. Simply drop us an email or contact us here to tell us you’re interested and we’ll send you more info.