Day 13: Rapid Clarity Kit: 30 Ways your brain sabotages your next $100K increase
What to watch our for in your day-to-day life
A few years ago, I hunted for a low-carb, tasty protein bar with minimal fake ingredients—practically a unicorn!
After weeks, I found one. Zero carbs. Jackpot!
I showed my roomie, who looked at the label and said, “It has 32g of carbs!”
Sure enough, I’d completely misread it.
Why? Simple: your brain shows you what it wants you to see to keep you “safe.”
In Day 10: Mind Shift Blueprint: why your brain blocks opportunity we talked about why your brain does this.
Today, I want to dive into some of the other ways your brain hides opportunities from you to keep you “safe” in your life, so that you can spot those sneaky tactics and side-step them whenever they pop up.
Let’s roll 👇
But first, a recap: Why is your brain trying to torpedo your success?
Before we dive in, let’s get clear on why your brain does this—and it’s not because it hates you.
Its primary job is to keep you safe, which used to mean protecting you from physical dangers, like dangerous animals or warring tribes. Since those are rare now, it flags anything “new” as potentially life-threatening. And your brain has known you forever, so it knows exactly how to hold you back.
The key? Realizing it’s just your brain doing its job, and you’re not failing. Your brain has flagged that next $100K as a life-threatening danger and is trying to protect you from it. 😬
Here’s a list of 30 sneaky ways your brain might block opportunities:
Procrastination – Delaying important tasks until it’s too late. Such as applications, podcast requests, submitting proposals etc.
Exhaustion – Feeling constantly drained, even with adequate rest.
Overwhelm – Taking on too much, leading to mental overload.
Confusion – Struggling to make sense of simple things.
Forgetting important things – Key details slipping your mind at critical moments.
Sudden fears or anxieties – Feeling fear out of nowhere when considering new paths.
Hopeless narratives – Thoughts repeating, “What’s the point?” or “It’ll never work.”
Remembering mistakes – Your brain flooding you with past failures to kill your motivation.
Overspending – Spending impulsively, leading to financial pressure.
Hesitating – Pausing just long enough to miss an opportunity.
Freezing on decisions – Feeling paralyzed when you need to act.
Self-doubt – Constantly second-guessing your choices.
Perfectionism – Setting impossible standards, and never feeling “ready.”
Insecurity – Wondering if you’re really capable of succeeding.
Comparison – Focusing on others’ success, questioning your own path.
People-pleasing – Saying “yes” to others over your own needs and goals.
Overthinking – Analyzing decisions to the point of exhaustion.
Self-criticism – Negative self-talk, finding flaws in your efforts.
Seeking external validation – Needing others’ approval before taking action.
Avoidance – Avoiding tasks that feel challenging or intimidating, or that will make big strides to moving the needle
Playing it safe – Only choosing options within your comfort zone.
Distractibility – Letting minor tasks or social media eat up your time.
Perceived lack of resources – Thinking, “I don’t have enough time/money.”
Insecurity about expertise – Believing you’re “not expert enough” to proceed.
Resentment – Focusing on unfairness or past wrongs instead of moving forward.
Proving yourself – Doing things for the sake of “showing others.”
Hyper-focus on potential risks – Worrying more about what could go wrong.
Waiting for perfect timing – Believing there’s a “right time” to begin.
Making excuses – Blaming external factors to avoid accountability.
Self-sabotage – Creating obstacles, even subconsciously, to protect against perceived failure.
Each one of these is probably your brain’s way of avoiding perceived danger—even if that danger is just stepping into something new! Recognizing these sabotage mechanisms is the first step to moving past them and seizing opportunities. 🌟
I totally get that it’s frustrating to have a brain that thinks it’s helping by blocking you from what you want! But, imagine the impact if you spotted each of these sneaky tactics and took action anyway. 🧠💪
Let today be the start of flipping the script on your mind’s little “safety” tricks.
Pick one of these tricks, catch it in action, and take a step forward. Every time you do, you are raising the amount of good your brain believes is acceptable in your life.
You’ve got this, and your next $100K is ready when you are! 🎉
Great list! I'll definitely be referring back to it.