Being a coach for women and leaders, I’ve had the honor of witnessing firsthand the transformative power of mindset shifts. 

Through our gold-standard leadership development programs, such as the Women’s Fearless Leaders Mastermind, I’ve encountered recurring themes and challenges. 

These common struggles aren’t unique; many women feel alone in rooms overpowered by others with louder voices, work ten times harder, constantly fight for credibility, and wrestle with negative self-talk and self-doubt. However, there’s hope.

When I applied the mindset shifts I’m about to share, I gained the courage and authenticity to pursue and earn my PhD in Informations Systems, claim three Director roles within my company, start my own business at 47 years old, divorced mom, and single head of household, write two #1 bestselling books, launch new leadership development programs that have supported thousands of women worldwide, and even find love in my personal life–something I thought was off the table for me–a limiting belief I shifted.

By questioning our own beliefs and taking control of our internal narratives, we can transform our careers and lives. Let’s dive into how you can start this empowering journey.

Understanding the Root Cause of Internal Limitations

Let’s start with a very important aspect of our leadership—our voice.

One persistent issue we’ve run up against is the feeling of being overpowered by louder voices in the room—our voices stifled, our ideas unrecognized, downplayed, and even sometimes swiped under our noses.

Often, we work ten times harder to prove our worth, constantly thinking, “What do they think of me?”, “How do I sound?” and “How do I prove myself?”

It’s crucial to recognize that while we can’t change other people’s perceptions, we can control what we believe about ourselves, our contributions, and our reactions. No one can stifle our voice unless we allow them to.

When we focus incessantly on ourselves and worry about others’ perceptions, this self-focus leaves no room for creativity, resourcefulness, or genuine contributions—like the ones you are capable of if you were to rid yourself of these internal limitations.

Asking the Transformative Questions

What can you do to shift from self-focus to contribution to the meeting, topic, or solution? Here’s a practical and invaluable tool.

Whenever you’re in a challenging situation, feeling muted, overlooked, or overpowered, ask yourself:

What do I have to believe about myself to prevent me from ______? (Fill in the blank with whatever holds you back—speaking up, feeling worthy, acknowledging the value of your contributions, etc.)

This simple yet powerful question brings to light the beliefs, stories, and fears you may be carrying and using as your truth, which do nothing to bolster your courage or career progression. 

In fact, these negative beliefs and fears sabotage your career mobility and the impact you can have as a leader in your organization.

Similarly, when you need courage, ask yourself, “What do I have to believe about myself to ______?” (Fill in the blank with the goal or intention you have in mind.)

This question will surface all the positive characteristics, empowering stories, and beliefs that will support you in moving forward constructively.

Dissecting and Dismantling The Stories We Tell Ourselves

When you place your limiting beliefs on the table, you begin to see how baseless they can be.

For example, you might find yourself thinking, “They’re smarter than me,” or “They went to better schools,” or even “What do I have to add to this conversation?”

When aired out, these thoughts often seem irrational.

By dissecting your internal disempowering beliefs, you start dismantling and eventually destroying them—essentially slaying the dragons holding back your career progression.

Creating Space for Creativity

By focusing less on how we’re perceived and more on solving problems and contributing based on our areas of expertise, we become more valuable and attractive in professional settings.

As Jim Rohn said:

“Success is something you attract by becoming a more attractive person.”

How? You become more attractive when you can multiply your value, and ultimately, this can also multiply your income. 

To multiply your value, commit to investing and betting on your professional development, enhancing your growth mindset, and gaining critical leadership skills to deliver business growth, high-performing teams, and well-being at work.

Even when we teach you the strategies for career mobility, without a shift in your mindset and focus from internal doubts to external contributions, it will be extremely difficult to foster an environment where your executive presence naturally elevates.

Focus instead on asking empowering, insightful questions derived from becoming fully engaged and listening to others—that makes your contributions much more attractive and valuable. That approach increases your visibility and executive presence.

Reclaiming Your Power and Eliminating The Triggers

At ExecutiveBound and Fearless Women @Work, we begin with a mindset-first approach to leadership development.

Throughout the past two decades of personal and professional development, guided by mentors and coaches, I’ve uncovered negative beliefs that were holding me back from realizing my career and personal potential.

Honing in on my limiting beliefs in the moment and committing to shifting them for my personal and professional benefit and well-being has been invaluable. This process has now become second nature and is an evergreen approach to growing as a person and leader.

To reclaim your power and stop triggering yourself, notice how effortlessly we give others power over our emotions.

During a coaching session, one of my clients admitted that she often feels intimidated as the only woman of color in the room.

When I asked her, “What do you have to believe about yourself to feel intimidated?” she realized she was attributing intelligence and a stellar background to others in the room while downplaying her own excellence, background, and intelligence.

We often trigger ourselves by giving undue credit to others and weight to external factors. 

No one has the power to “trigger” you or me. Only we can trigger ourselves by what we believe about ourselves and others or how we “react” to what someone else says or does.

Owning Your Narrative

No one has the power to trigger you; only you do. When someone criticizes or puts us down, it only affects us if we choose to believe it.

Conversely, think about the accolades and praise we receive—we often downplay these and choose to believe and fixate on the negative feedback (spoken or not).

Ultimately, rewiring our brains involves shifting what we believe about ourselves, catching our thoughts before we spiral into self-doubt and fear, and consciously deciding to focus on what we have to contribute, which is always accessible to us.

Investing in Your Professional Development

Developing a growth mindset and squashing the negative self-talk and self-doubt will yield you continuous returns.

While material purchases (shoes, bags, the latest gadgets) provide fleeting satisfaction, investing in personal and professional development offers lifelong, consistent returns.

Cultivating a growth mindset and questioning your limiting beliefs is an investment that empowers you and benefits your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being—not only professionally but in all areas of your life.

Every time you challenge a limiting belief, you take a step toward greater confidence and self-assurance. Gaining this skill is much easier said than done. That’s why we’re here to support you.

Practical Steps to Start Today

Your journey toward reclaiming your personal power begins with a single question and a commitment to your personal growth.

Begin by applying this transformative question in your daily life:

What do I have to believe about myself to ______? (Fill in the blank.)

There is no “trying.” There’s only doing.

Take the plunge, recognize, question, and shift the limiting beliefs, stories, and fears, and you’ll witness your executive presence and overall well-being elevate, bringing unprecedented joy and fulfillment.

It’s time to stop giving others control over our internal narratives and squash the “triggers.” Reclaim your remote control, and let’s elevate together.

Share your experiences making these shifts with me. I’m here to support you every step of the way.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Reach out to me at info@executivebound.com and visit our new website DrGinnyBaro.com for valuable resources and to take our Fearless Leadership Assessment.

Through our leadership development programs for women , VIP days, and free development events, as a leadership coach, I’ve seen numerous women and leaders shift their limiting beliefs and transform their careers. 

If you feel ready to activate your unique value proposition to grow and advance in your role or support your team, let’s set up a complimentary strategic call ($1,500 value) to surface what’s currently holding you or your organization back and identify the next steps to move forward confidently. If you’re hesitant, that’s a clear sign it’s exactly what you need.

Let’s take this journey together.