The Strategy Isn't the Problem. It Never Was.

Key Takeaways

• 1Feeling stuck isn't about lacking a plan. It's about needing a new version of yourself to match your goals.
• 2Running your life on old childhood 'programming' is like using an outdated phone. It just doesn't work for where you want to go.
• 3Your self-image creates a ceiling for your income. If you make more than you feel you should, you'll find ways to get rid of it.
• 4What we call 'self-sabotage' is just your brain trying to keep you safe by repeating what feels familiar and predictable.
• 5Undercharging, people-pleasing, and over-delivering are common signs that your self-image is secretly holding you back.
• 6You might find yourself tweaking small things (like a logo) to avoid the real work that feels scary (like making sales calls).
• 7Work on your identity first, then focus on strategy. When you change how you see yourself, following the plan becomes much easier.
• 8You will never outperform your self-image. If you do by chance, you will always pull yourself back to what you feel you're worth.

Desi keeps hearing the same thing from successful women making six and seven figures. They have a good plan. They have the motivation. But they're stuck. They keep hitting the same income level and can't seem to grow. It turns out, the business strategy is not the real issue.

What's really holding you back?

Have you ever felt completely stuck? Like you have a good plan, you know what you should be doing, and you even want to do it, but you just can't seem to make progress. It's a common feeling, especially for women who are used to getting things done. If your business has hit a wall or you keep making the same amount of money year after year, it's easy to think you just need a better strategy. But what if the plan isn't the problem at all?

Desi Batista works with very successful women, and she's noticed that they often get stuck for the same reason. It isn't because they're lazy or because they don't have good ideas. It goes a little deeper than that. As Desi puts it, the real issue is a mismatch between their goals and who they see themselves as.

What they're really missing is the version of themselves that actually matches what they're reaching for. Desi said

Think of it this way. Desi shared a story about a woman she interviewed who used a great example. Imagine someone handed you a brand new phone case, but it was for an old, outdated phone you don't use anymore. The case is useless, right? That's what it's like when we try to run our modern lives and businesses using an old "operating system" inside our minds. Many of us are working with programming that was installed when we were kids. We're trying to fit our big, ambitious goals into a small, outdated box of beliefs about ourselves.

This old programming creates a sort of hidden limit on what we can achieve. It’s not a real limit, but it feels like one. Your self-image, or how you truly see yourself, sets a ceiling on your success.

your self-image sets the ceiling. Desi said

If deep down you believe you're only a "$50,000 a year" person, your brain will find ways to keep you there. Even if you have a great year and make $200,000, that old programming will kick in. You might start overspending, giving money away, or finding other ways to get back to that comfortable, familiar income level. This isn't because you want to fail. It's actually your brain's way of trying to protect you.

When I say self-sabotage, it's really just your brain's way of keeping you safe, which is by keeping you stuck in the same pattern. Desi said

Your brain doesn't care if a new pattern is better for you; it just wants what's predictable. It wants to know what to expect. This can show up in a lot of different ways in your business.

• You might over-deliver on projects but still feel like you're not doing enough.
• You might be afraid to charge what you're really worth.
• You might become a people-pleaser, always trying to make others happy.
• You might have a great marketing plan but never actually do it.

That last one is a big one. You know you need to make 10 calls a day or send those emails. But instead, you find yourself tweaking your logo, re-writing your "About Me" page for the tenth time, or doing other small tasks that feel busy but don't move you forward. This is your brain pulling you away from the scary, unpredictable new actions and back toward what feels safe. The first step to breaking through is to realize that the problem isn't your plan. It’s the old beliefs you have about yourself.

To move forward, you have to work on how you see yourself first and your strategy second.

Are you running on an old operating system?

Have you ever felt like you're doing all the right things but still not getting anywhere? You have a good plan, you work hard, but you keep hitting the same invisible wall. Desi says this is a super common problem, and the solution isn't another new plan. The real issue might be the story you tell yourself about who you are.

Desi talked about an interview she did with another woman who explained this feeling perfectly. The woman she spoke with used a great analogy about a phone. Imagine someone hands you a cell phone from ten years ago. It’s got a cracked screen, the battery dies in an hour, and it runs on an ancient, slow system. Would you want to use it for your important work today? Of course not. You’d get frustrated pretty fast. You’d know right away that the phone itself is the problem, not what you're trying to do with it.

Desi loved this way of looking at it. She explained what the woman meant.

if she handed you a phone that was outdated with an old programming system, would you use it? And most likely no.

Desi said

This is exactly what many of us do to ourselves. We try to run our modern lives and businesses on an old personal "operating system." We're trying to do big, new things while running on old beliefs about ourselves that we picked up a long, long time ago.

And that's how most of that's how so many women are operating today. It's from an old system, from an old programming, and many times it was something that was implemented or programmed into our consciousness in childhood.

Desi said

Think about it. If you have an internal belief that you're only worth a certain amount of money, you'll find ways to stay at that level. Your self-image is like a thermostat for your success. If it’s set to 70 degrees, the air conditioner will kick on and cool things down anytime it gets hotter than that. In the same way, if your self-image is set for a $50,000 income, your brain will find ways to bring you back down if you suddenly start making $200,000. It feels unsafe and unfamiliar, so your brain tries to get you back to what it knows.

your self-image sets the ceiling.

Desi said

This old programming can show up in a lot of sneaky ways that hold you back. It might look like:

• Over-delivering on your work. You give away way too much for free because you don't feel like what you offer is valuable enough on its own.
• Not charging what you're worth. You look at your prices and think, "I can't charge that much," even if it's the industry standard.
• Making plans but never doing them. You have a great marketing plan, but instead of making the calls, you decide you need to tweak your logo or rewrite your website copy for the tenth time.
• Doubting yourself after you've done the work. You finally send that important email and then spend the rest of the day worrying if you said the right thing or if people will judge you.

All of these are just symptoms of an old operating system trying to keep you safe in your comfort zone. The first step is to recognize that you might be using an old phone. Before you look for another new strategy, take a look at the "system" you're running on. Is it up to date with the person you want to become?

You will never outperform the way you see yourself.

When should you look at your identity instead of your strategy?

Everyone gets stuck sometimes. You might have a great plan for your business, but you just can't seem to make progress or you keep hitting the same invisible wall. When that happens, it’s easy to think you need a new strategy, but the problem might be something else entirely. It might be about who you believe you are.

Desi Batista works with successful women, and she noticed they often hit a similar kind of roadblock. It’s not about finding a better plan. As Desi puts it, it’s about becoming the person who can actually use that plan.

What they're really missing is the version of themselves that actually matches what they're reaching for. Desi said

She shared a story about another woman she talked to who explained it perfectly. Imagine someone handed you a really old phone with a clunky, outdated system. You probably wouldn’t use it to run your modern life. Desi says many of us are trying to run our new, ambitious business plans on an old, outdated personal "system." This old programming often comes from things we learned as kids, and it just can't handle the new things we're trying to do.

Think of it this way: your self-image sets the bar for what you can achieve. If you deep down only see yourself as someone who makes a certain amount of money, your brain will work hard to keep you there. It feels safe and predictable. If you suddenly make a lot more, you might find yourself self-sabotaging. You'll find new expenses, give money away, or make mistakes that bring you right back down to that "normal" level. It's not because you're broken; it's because your brain is trying to keep you safe in a pattern it already knows.

strategy alone doesn't work because your self-image sets the ceiling. Desi said

So how do you know if your self-image is holding you back, and not your business plan? You might notice a few things happening:

• You're always "over-delivering" or giving way more than you're paid for.
• You don't charge what you know you should be charging.
• You make a great marketing plan, but you never actually follow through on it.
• You find yourself doing "busy work," like tweaking your logo for the tenth time, instead of making sales calls.
• You constantly doubt yourself after you've done the work, wondering if you did it right.

If any of that sounds familiar, it’s a sign that you need to pause working on the strategy and start working on yourself. Before you can successfully use a new plan, you have to become the person who is comfortable with that new level of success. When you update how you see yourself first, following the plan becomes much, much easier. It won't feel like you're forcing it. It will just feel like what you're supposed to be doing.

you'll never outperform your self-image, you will never outperform how you see yourself. Desi said

So before you throw out your whole business plan, take a look in the mirror. You might find that the person you see there needs an update first.

You will never do better than how you see yourself.

Your self-image sets your financial limit.

Have you ever felt like there's an invisible lid on how much money you can make? You work hard and try new things, but you always seem to land right back at the same income level. It can be super frustrating, almost like you're running into a wall you can't see. Desi says this feeling isn't about your business plan or your work ethic. It's about you.

She explains that how you see yourself creates a limit on how much success you can have.

your self-image sets the ceiling. So if your self-image is set at I can only make this amount of money or I'm only getting enough for this, you will always go back there or calm down. Desi

Think about it like a thermostat in your house. If you set it to 70 degrees, it will always work to keep the room at 70 degrees. If it gets too hot, the air conditioning kicks on. If it gets too cold, the heat turns on. Your self-image works the same way for your finances. You have a "money thermostat" set in your mind, and your brain will do whatever it takes to keep you at that temperature.

Desi gives a perfect example of this. Imagine someone who is used to making $50,000 a year. Then, they have a great year and suddenly stretch to make $200,000. That sounds amazing, right? But if that person hasn't changed how they see themself on the inside, something strange often happens. Desi says they will find a way to go back to what feels normal.

if your self-image hasn't shifted, you will retract. Desi

This person might suddenly find new, big expenses they "have" to pay for. Or they'll start overspending or giving money away until they're back in their financial comfort zone. It's a form of self-sabotage, but it's not because they want to fail. It’s their brain trying to get back to what feels safe and familiar. Your brain doesn't like surprises, even good ones.

Desi says this isn't you being difficult. It’s just your brain doing its main job, which is to keep you safe.

When I say self-sabotage, it's really just your brain's way of keeping you safe, which is by keeping you stuck in the same pattern. Desi

Your brain doesn’t decide if making more money is better for you. It just asks, "What's the usual pattern here? What can I predict?" For our person in the example, $50,000 a year is predictable. The $200,000 is new and unknown, so the brain sounds an alarm to get back to safety.

This can show up in other ways in your business, too. You might notice yourself doing things like:

• Constantly over-delivering or being a people-pleaser.
• Being afraid to charge what you're worth because you feel like you aren't good enough.
• Making a solid plan but then finding excuses not to follow through.
• Second-guessing your work after it's done, wondering if you did it right.

The solution isn't to find another new strategy. The real work is to change how you see yourself. You have to start seeing yourself as a person who is comfortable and worthy of that next level of success. Once you shift your identity, following the plan becomes much easier because it will feel like the natural thing for you to do.

You cannot earn more money than your brain believes you are worth.

Why do people get rid of extra money?

Have you ever thought about what would happen if you suddenly started making way more money? It sounds like a dream come true. But for our brains, sometimes a big, fast change like that can feel scary. It’s so different from what we’re used to that our brain can panic a little bit.

Desi talks about this exact thing. Imagine you’re used to making $50,000 a year. That’s your normal. You know how to pay your bills with it, and it feels familiar. Then, you have a great year and make $200,000. You’d think you’d be thrilled, but your brain might not be. If you haven't changed how you see yourself, a big jump in income can feel wrong. Desi explains that when this happens, people often pull back.

if your self-image hasn't shifted, you will retract.

Desi said

What does "retract" mean here? It means you actually find ways to get rid of the extra money to get back down to a number that feels more comfortable. It sounds wild, but it happens all the time. People find ways to spend, give away, or lose the money until they’re back at a level that feels safe and predictable.

Desi says you might do this by creating new costs or just handing the money over to other people.

you're either gonna start giving the money away, you're gonna come up with new expenses. There is some way that you're gonna let go of that.

Desi said

This is a form of self-sabotage. But that term can sound a little mean, like you’re hurting yourself on purpose. That's not really what's happening. Your brain isn't trying to be mean. It's just trying to protect you by keeping things the same, because the same is what it knows how to handle.

When I say self-sabotage, it's really just your brain's way of keeping you safe, which is by keeping you stuck in the same pattern.

Desi said

Your brain doesn’t ask if having more money is better for you. It just asks, "Is this familiar? Is this what I can predict?" If the answer is no, it will try to get back to what it knows. So, how might someone get rid of that extra money?

• Suddenly needing a brand new expensive car when the old one was fine.
• Giving big loans to friends or family you know probably won’t pay you back.
• Finding a bunch of new "emergency" house projects that have to be done right now.
• Spending a lot on shopping trips for things you don't really need or want.
• Making a risky business investment that doesn't feel quite right.

This all comes back to your self-image. Your self-image is like the thermostat in your house. If you set it to 70 degrees, the heat will kick on if it gets too cold, and the AC will kick on if it gets too hot. It always works to stay at 70. Your financial self-image works the same way. If it’s set at $50,000, your brain will do things to keep you there. So what can you do? The first step is just to notice it. Think about what amount of money feels "normal" to you. Being aware of your own money thermostat is the start of being able to change the setting.

Your brain will always try to return to the income level that feels familiar and safe.

Self-sabotage is just your brain trying to help.

Have you ever done something that totally messed up your own plans? It feels awful, and we often call it self-sabotage. But what if it wasn't sabotage at all? What if it was just your brain trying to be helpful, in its own weird way?

Desi talks about this idea that our brain’s main job is just to keep things predictable. It doesn't really care if a situation is good for us or bad for us. It only cares if it’s familiar. Think about it. Let's say you're used to making about $50,000 a year. That’s your normal. Your brain knows exactly what that feels like. It knows the bills you pay, the groceries you buy, and the stress you feel at the end of the month. It's a predictable pattern.

Then, you have an amazing year in your business and you make $200,000. That’s awesome, right? But for your brain, it’s also terrifying. It’s not predictable. It’s new and scary. So, your brain might try to get you back to the familiar $50,000 zone. You might suddenly feel the urge to lend a friend a huge amount of money. Or maybe you'll decide you absolutely need a brand new car and a whole new wardrobe right now. Before you know it, that extra money is gone, and you’re right back where you started. You’ve "sabotaged" yourself. But Desi says that’s not really what’s going on.

When I say self-sabotage, it's really just your brain's way of keeping you safe, which is by keeping you stuck in the same pattern.

Desi said

Your brain isn't trying to punish you for making more money. It’s just trying to get back to a pattern it can predict. It’s like a safety manager who only cares about following the old, trusted procedures, even if new, better ones exist.

Now, your brain is not deciding is this beneficial, is this gonna be better? No, it's deciding, okay, what is what is the pattern, what is practical, what is something that we're used to?

Desi said

This can show up in lots of different ways, not just with money. It's the little things we do that keep us from growing because growth feels uncomfortable and unpredictable. You might notice it in your own life. For example, do you ever find yourself:

• People-pleasing or saying "yes" when you want to say "no"?
• Over-delivering on a project way beyond what was asked for?
• Not charging what you know you’re worth because you feel like you aren't doing enough?
• Making a great plan but then finding a million little things to "fix" instead of just doing the work?

That last one is a big one. You create a simple marketing plan, like sending 10 messages a day. But instead of doing it, you decide your logo needs a tiny change or your website font is all wrong. You're just trying to avoid the scary, unpredictable part, which is putting yourself out there.

you'll keep doing things that are gonna take you away from the plan that you had, and it's because your self-image is not there yet. You don't feel comfortable there, it's not predictable, okay?

Desi said

So what can you do about it? The first step is just to notice it. When you feel that urge to avoid a task or give away your success, just pause. Remind yourself that it's just your brain trying to keep you in the familiar zone. You don’t have to beat yourself up about it. Just seeing the pattern is the first step to changing it.

What you call self-sabotage is just your brain trying to return to a pattern it knows.

How does a low self-image show up in business?

What if your business plan isn't actually the problem? Sometimes, when you feel stuck, it has more to do with how you see yourself. Desi calls this your "self-image," and she says it can hold you back a lot more than any bad strategy ever could.

She gives an interesting example about money. Imagine you normally make $50,000 a year. Then one year, things go really well and you make $200,000. You'd think you would be happy, right? But Desi explains that your brain might get a little scared. If you don't see yourself as a "$200,000 person," you'll find ways to get back to what feels normal. You might suddenly start spending a lot of money, give some away, or find that new expenses pop up out of nowhere.

This isn't because you're bad with money. Desi calls it "self-sabotage," but she says it isn't what most people think it is.

When I say self-sabotage, it's really just your brain's way of keeping you safe, which is by keeping you stuck in the same pattern. Desi said

Your brain isn't trying to hurt you. It just really likes things it can predict. Making a lot more money is new and unpredictable, and that can feel scary to the part of your brain that just wants to keep you safe.

So, how can you tell if your self-image is getting in the way of your business? It usually appears in your daily actions. Desi lists a few common signs that might feel a little too familiar.

• You're always trying to please other people.
• You give away too much of your time or do extra work for free.
• You don't charge what you know you're worth.
• You create a solid plan but then don't follow through on it.
• You doubt yourself right after you finish doing the work.

Let's look at the money part again, because it's a big one for a lot of people. It can be really hard to ask for the price you deserve. Desi talks about why that is.

Other ways this can show up in your life or in your business is that y'all over-deliver, or you won't charge what you should be charging because you feel like, yeah, I don't, you know, I'm not delivering enough to be able to charge that. Desi said

It’s that little voice in your head that says you aren't good enough to earn that much. Another sign is making a plan but then finding excuses not to do it. You might know you need to make 10 sales calls a day. But instead of picking up the phone, you decide you absolutely have to redesign your logo right now. You're keeping busy to avoid the work that feels scary, because that work is part of a new version of you.

Even Desi says she still deals with this from time to time. She shared that she can do everything she is supposed to do and still get hit with a wave of doubt.

I'll do what I'm supposed to do, I'll do the work, and then afterwards, you know, I'll start self-doubting myself. Like, did I do it right? Is that gonna land? Desi said

All that second-guessing is just your old self-image trying to pull you back to what feels familiar. The first step is to just start noticing when you do these things. If you look closely, your own actions will tell you if you need a new business plan or if you just need to work on believing you're the person who can make that plan happen.

Your business habits often show you exactly how you see yourself.

Why you avoid doing the work that matters.

Have you ever had a really good plan but just didn't do it? You know what you need to do to move forward, but you find yourself busy with other small things instead. It happens to a lot of people. You might have a great marketing strategy, but you end up tweaking unimportant details on your website for hours.

Desi talks about this exact thing. She gives an example of someone who has a solid plan to get new clients but avoids doing the actual work. The plan might be simple, like making a certain number of calls or sending messages each day. But when it's time to do it, something else suddenly seems more important.

You will have a plan, but you won't execute it. So it might be a marketing plan that you shouldn't implement. It might be, okay, I'm gonna make 10 calls every day. I'm gonna send 10 DMs every day to my target so that I can get new business. And you won't do it. You'll decide, okay, no, I have to twitch this, or I have to fix this um this image, or I have to twitch uh tweak, or I have to tweak my logo, and you'll keep doing things that are gonna take you away from the plan that you had, and it's because your self-image is not there yet.

Desi said

This happens because doing the new, important work can feel really uncomfortable. It doesn't match the person you're used to being. Your brain likes what is predictable and safe. So, it convinces you to work on "safe" tasks instead of the "scary" ones, even if the scary ones are what will help you grow. These safe tasks feel productive, but they are just a way to avoid the real thing.

You might find yourself doing things like:

• Changing the colors on your logo for the tenth time.
• Rewriting your "About Me" page again and again.
• Organizing your computer files instead of contacting clients.
• Spending hours researching a new tool you don't need yet.

Even if you push through and do the uncomfortable work, the battle might not be over. Desi shared that she sometimes struggles with self-doubt right after she does something important. The scary thoughts start to creep in.

I'll do what I'm supposed to do, I'll do the work, and then afterwards, you know, I'll start self-doubting myself. Like, did I do it right? Is that gonna land? Will people take it? How are they gonna see it? Maybe I should have done something else.

Desi said

That wave of doubt is your old self-image trying to pull you back to what feels normal. It's a protection method. Your brain isn't trying to be mean. It's just doing its job of keeping you in a familiar place where it knows what to expect.

it's just a complete ruminating in your mind that it's just you, it's just your self-image, it's just that little voice in your head trying to pull you back to what's predictable again.

Desi said

So, what can you do about this? The first step is just to notice when it's happening. The next time you have a big task to do and you find yourself editing a tiny detail on an image instead, just pause. Ask yourself if this is really the most important thing you could be doing for your business right now. Just noticing that you're avoiding something is a big step forward.

Avoiding the real work is often a sign that your self-image has not caught up to your goals.

The right order for growth: identity, then strategy.

It's easy to think that if you just had the right business plan, everything would change. We spend so much time looking for the perfect strategy. But what if the strategy was never the real problem? Desi says that most of the time, we need to work on ourselves before we can make any plan work. The right order is to fix how you see yourself first, and then work on your strategy second.

Think about it this way. Your self-image kind of sets a limit on what you can achieve. Desi says it's like a ceiling for your success. If you try to go past that ceiling without changing how you see yourself, you'll eventually come back down.

She gives a great example. Imagine you're used to making $50,000 a year. Then, you have an amazing year and make $200,000. That's great! But if you still see yourself as a "$50,000 person," your brain will get nervous. Desi explains that you'll start to "retract," or pull back. You might find weird reasons to give money away. Or suddenly, you have a bunch of new expenses that pop up out of nowhere. Your brain is trying to get you back to what feels familiar and safe, even if it's less money.

Desi puts it simply.

you'll never outperform your self-image, you will never outperform how you see yourself. And if by any chance you do, which just happens, you will retract. Desi said

This idea of pulling back shows up in other ways in your business, too. It’s not just about money. It might look like:

• Not charging what you’re really worth because you don't feel you're delivering enough.
• Always over-delivering or giving too much just to please people.
• Having a solid marketing plan but never actually doing it.
• Getting distracted with small tasks like tweaking your logo instead of making sales calls.

You have a plan, but you find a million other "important" things to do. Desi explains why this happens.

you'll keep doing things that are gonna take you away from the plan that you had, and it's because your self-image is not there yet. You don't feel comfortable there, it's not predictable, okay? Desi said

It’s not that you're lazy or don't want to succeed. It's just that your brain is trying to protect you by keeping you in a predictable place. The "new you" who makes those calls feels strange and uncomfortable. So, your brain finds ways to get you back to the "old you" who just works on the logo.

So what can you do about this? The answer is to focus on your identity first. When you work on how you see yourself, everything else gets easier. Following your plans doesn't feel like forcing yourself anymore. It just feels like what you're supposed to be doing.

Once you update your identity and your self-image, it's going to help you implement those behaviors much easier than if you just try to implement those strategies. Desi said

Of course, this doesn't mean strategy is worthless. Desi does say that if you've done the identity work and you've given a new strategy plenty of time to work and nothing is happening, then it’s okay to start tweaking the plan. But that comes later. The first and most important step is always to work on you.

Working on who you are is the first step to getting what you want.

You can't outperform the way you see yourself.

Have you ever felt like there's an invisible lid on your life? No matter what you do or how hard you try, you always end up back in the same spot, making the same amount of money, dealing with the same problems. It turns out, that invisible lid is often just the way we see ourselves.

Desi explains that your self-image, or the story you tell yourself about who you are, sets a limit for your success. You can have the best plan in the world, but you'll never do better than what you think you deserve.

She shared a really good example. Imagine someone who is used to making $50,000 a year. They've been at that level for a while, and it feels normal. Then, one year, everything clicks and they make $200,000. You’d think they would be thrilled, right? But if their inner view of themselves hasn't changed, something strange happens. They start to feel uncomfortable with the new, higher income.

You will retract. Okay, so you're either gonna start giving the money away, you're gonna come up with new expenses. There is some way that you're gonna let go of that. Desi

Suddenly, they might feel the need to buy a super expensive car they don't need. Or maybe they start "loaning" money to friends and family with no expectation of getting it back. They'll find ways to get rid of the extra cash until they're back down to a level that feels familiar and safe.

This isn't an act of foolishness. It's an act of self-preservation. When this happens, we often call it self-sabotage, but Desi says it's not that simple.

When I say self-sabotage, it's really just your brain's way of keeping you safe, which is by keeping you stuck in the same pattern. Desi

Your brain isn't trying to hurt you. It's just trying to get you back to what it knows. The new, higher income is unpredictable. The old, lower income is familiar. Your brain prefers what's familiar every single time, even if it's not what's best for you.

This doesn't just show up with money. It can appear in many parts of your work and life. You might notice yourself doing things like:

• Over-giving: You do way more for clients or your boss than what's required, leaving you tired and without time for your own goals.
• Under-charging: You know your work is worth more, but you feel guilty asking for it. You tell yourself you're not delivering enough to charge a higher price.
• Fake busyness: You create a great marketing plan, but instead of doing the main task (like making calls), you spend hours messing with your logo or fixing a tiny typo on your website.
• Constant second-guessing: You finally do the hard work, but then you spend days worrying if you did it right, what people will think, and if you should have done something else instead.

All these actions are just your brain trying to pull you back to what feels safe and predictable. It's your old self-image fighting to stay in control. As Desi puts it, this is a rule that's almost impossible to break.

You'll never outperform your self-image, you will never outperform how you see yourself. And if by any chance you do, which just happens, you will retract. Desi

The key isn't to try harder with the same old strategies. The key is to start seeing yourself as the person who is already worthy of that bigger life.

The person you believe you are sets the bar for what you can achieve.

Listen to the full conversation

Did this episode make you think? If you feel like your strategy is solid but you're not moving forward, your self-image might be the cause. To hear a real story from a woman who broke through this exact problem, make sure you listen to the next episode. Desi sat down with her to hear how she did it. Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss that conversation.