Fixing your emotions comes before optimization.

Welcome to the Self-Performance-Strategies (S-P-S) Newsletter 

Let's talk about why you next fix your emotions before you optimize.

“One of the biggest traps for smart engineers is optimizing something that shouldn’t exist.” 

Elon Musk

“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”

Peter Drucker

Being a business owner is a challenging and rewarding experience.

It requires you to manage a range of tasks, from marketing and customer service to finances and product development. 

You often end up with a lot on your plate.

There is a temptation to try and solve all your problems with hacks and optimization strategies.

However, in order to be successful in business, it is more important to be aware of your emotional barriers and how to manage them. 

I fell into this trap early on in my journey.

I got into bio-hacking and optimizing my days.

And I learned a lot:

I improved my sleep

I learned how to get into deep focus 

I learned how to manage my energy 

But while I moved towards my goals, I always hit barriers.

I would be on a roll for a few weeks, but then something would throw me off, or I would self-sabotage.

After a couple of years of this cycle and a few metaphorical punches to the gut, I realized:

Knowing how to deal with your emotional barriers is essential to achieve your desired success.

The emotional barriers you face as a business owner are often rooted in your past experiences that led to a lack of confidence, fear of failure, and self-doubt. 

These emotional barriers can prevent you from taking risks, exploring new opportunities, and working on the right activities in your business. 

By acknowledging and dealing with these emotional barriers, you can open yourself up to new ideas and opportunities and ultimately help you reach your business goals. 

But how do you deal with these barriers?

The first step to dealing with emotional barriers is to call them out.

This can be done by reflecting on past experiences, identifying what triggers certain emotions, and learning how to manage and control them.

Once these emotional barriers have been identified, you can work on developing strategies to address them. 

One effective strategy is to practice mindful self-reflection. 

Taking the time to step back and assess your feelings and reactions can help you understand the barriers you are facing and how to best address them. 

This can also help identify any underlying issues that may be contributing to the emotional barrier.  

Another strategy is to practice positive self-talk and affirmations. 

Do you use affirmations?

Yes, I do. I find them helpful in challenging negative thoughts and beliefs.

Using affirmations and positive self-talk can break down emotional barriers and replace them with positive and productive thoughts.  

It might sound out there to some, but your inputs 100% affect your outputs.

If your mind constantly creates a negative life narrative, it will affect you. 

It can also be helpful to reach out for support when needed. 

Talking to a trusted friend, coach, or professional can provide a safe space to process and work through any emotional barriers.

Managing one’s emotional barriers is essential to scale your business. 

When you can identify their emotional barriers and develop strategies to manage them, you are more likely to take risks and explore new opportunities. 

This can lead to increased profits, greater customer loyalty, and a more successful business.  

Once you remove the emotional barriers, you can then optimize.

Because you now operate without those barriers, which makes you feel like you're driving without the brakes on. 

I have seen this happen.

Often, high achievers like business owners don’t see their gains and wins.

They are often held back mentally and emotionally by their barriers.

One client I worked with was a successful entrepreneur.

They had started several successful businesses, and one of their goals was to give back and help young people become entrepreneurs.

But they thought they needed more experience.

This client had more experience than most people who teach business in schools and colleges.

They were letting a limiting belief stop them from taking action on their goal.

With that barrier busted, they could optimize toward that goal more effectively. 

In conclusion, dealing with emotional barriers is an important part of scaling a business. 

More important than trying to optimize the sh*t out of everything to create results. 

By being aware of your emotional barriers and creating strategies to manage them, you can open yourself up to new opportunities and build a more successful business.

What are the emotional barriers stopping you? 

Can you start to remove them before 2023? 

BIG love,

Stephen