While it’s true that we all face real obstacles and challenges in our businesses and lives, it’s equally true that as humans we are often our own biggest obstacles. “Can’t get out of their own way,” and “They’re their own worst enemy,” are two common expressions that capture this idea.

But what is it about human nature that causes us so often to be in our own way?

I believe the answer is always the same: mindset.

With rare exceptions, our own mindset is the chief limiting factor in our success and effectiveness.

“We have met the enemy and he is us.”

~Walt Kelly

We’re highly adept at blaming external circumstances and other people, and not so good at looking inward, analyzing our beliefs about ourselves and the world, and adopting… choosing… beliefs that free us and allow us to realize our potential.

True for humans. True for voice actors and freelancers.

In my recent conversations with voice actors across the continent, I heard a lot of limiting beliefs expressed. I see them daily on Twitter.

They’re pervasive. And they don’t serve us.

Limiting beliefs are stories that we tell ourselves that most often have a minuscule-to-no basis in reality. They’re often fairy tales we’ve made up, most often about ourselves, to explain why this didn’t happen or why that didn’t go our way, or worse yet, to explain our overall lot in life.

Dr. Carol Dweck, in her seminal book, Mindset: The Psychology of Success, refers to limiting beliefs as a fixed mindset, the belief that our abilities are fixed. A growth mindset is a belief that we can learn and grow and increase our abilities over time.

But how do limiting beliefs show up in our psyches and businesses as voice actors? Here are some examples:

“I’m an actor, not a businessperson,” is keeping you stuck.

“I’m an artist who provides a valuable service, solves a real problem, and gets paid appropriately” frees you to value your art and understand your worth.

"No one gets back to me" is keeping you stuck.

"I'm not looking for a project today, but a client tomorrow" empowers you to have the patience to build relationships that lead to work. If 10% of the people who open your first email respond, it's ok. It's not about today. It's a long game.

"I'm not a routine person" is keeping you stuck.

"I'm the type of person who does what's necessary every damn day" allows you to build the consistency it takes to accomplish great things over time.

"I tried marketing my voiceover business. It didn't work." is keeping you stuck.

And it's incorrect. That's like saying working out doesn't work.

"I will learn to do this and grow my business" acknowledges that it already works well for those who do it well and you can learn.

“I don't want to be annoying when I reach out to leads," is keeping you stuck.

"I offer a valuable service which solves a real problem" allows you to come from a place of service to others, rather than from a place of trying to get something.

“But the pay-to-plays and the algorithms…” is keeping you stuck.

“I’ll find my own work” allows you to take control.

"I don't know what to say when I reach out to leads" is keeping you stuck.

"It's more important to get started than it is to be perfect" empowers you to move forward.

"I'm not making any money to reinvest in my business" is keeping you stuck.

You're not making any money, so you won't invest in improvement, and so you don't make any money. It's an endless cycle.

“I will bet on me” allows you to invest in yourself to move forward.

None of us are fully equipped to be voice actors or parents or butchers, bakers, or candlestick makers.

And yet we are. Because there’s nothing about any of us inherently that keeps us from learning and growing and developing over time.

Do you or have you recognized any limiting beliefs in yourself? I’d love to hear what they were and what you chose to believe moving forward. Maybe others in the community including myself can benefit from your experience. I invite you to share in the comments below.

Have a fantastic, limitless week.