Saying This, Keeps You Poor

Summary

• People often box themselves in with "I am" statements like "I'm bad at math" or "I'm not that type of person," which stops them from trying new things.
• Up until my early 20s, I believed I was bad at math because of a bad experience in 8th grade and pre-calculus.
• I realized I was just saying I was bad at math and not trying to improve.
• I decided to stop relying on a calculator and started doing math in my head.
• At first, I checked my work with a calculator to see how far off I was, and gradually, I got better.
• Eventually, I started doing math in front of people, and they told me I was good at it.
• This experience taught me that if something is a skill, you can learn it, regardless of past beliefs.

Video

How To Take Action

Implementation Strategies for Personal Growth and Business Success

I would suggest implementing a mindset shift. Start by identifying the "I am" statements that are holding you back. For example, if you say, "I'm not good at technology," change that to "I can learn technology with practice." The first step is recognizing these limiting beliefs.

A good way of doing this is to pick one skill you think you're bad at and make a commitment to improve it. Let's say you believe you’re bad at public speaking. Start small—practice speaking in front of a mirror or a trusted friend. Focus on incremental improvements rather than overnight success.

For entrepreneurs and small business owners, I recommend applying this to business skills. If you think, "I’m not good at marketing," start with simple tasks. Spend 15 minutes a day reading marketing blogs or watching tutorial videos. Gradually, start applying what you learn. Over time, you’ll get better, just like I did with math.

Another actionable tip is to eliminate your reliance on "crutches." For me, it was a calculator. For you, it might be something else—like relying too much on a business partner for strategic decisions. Start making small decisions on your own and check the outcomes later. This builds confidence and skill.

Eventually, start testing your newfound skills publicly, even if it's just within your network. Get feedback and use it to further improve. Whether it’s launching a small marketing campaign or speaking at a local event, the practice will help you grow.

Keep reminding yourself that any skill can be learned. Instead of seeing failures as proof that you can't do something, view them as opportunities to improve. This mindset will not only help in personal growth but also make a significant impact on your business.

Remember, significant growth comes from consistent, small efforts over time. Adopt this approach and watch how quickly you can break through your self-imposed limitations.

Full Transcript

I think people give themselves these I am statements like I'm not this way I'm the type of person who and then they they box themselves in by immediately no longer trying things because they say I'm not that type of person until I was in my early 20s I had an I am statement that I am bad at math and it was because at that point I realized that I was like I've just been saying this my whole life because in eth grade I had a bad teacher or I was a bad student whatever but I didn't learn as much as I should have in eth grade and so after that point I basically learned everything till Algebra 2 and then as soon as we got into precalculus I had a pretty you know bad experience and so then from then on I pretty much just cheated in my early 20s I was like I need to not make this a thing and so I decided to stop using a calculator for everything and so whenever I could do math I just tried to do it in my head and in the be I would check with a calculator afterwards and I would see how far off I was until eventually I started getting pretty good at it then I started just doing math in front of people because that's what I was doing for the last few years and people like dude you're so good at math and I remember the first time someone said that to me I was like huh and so I say that because like everything is like if it is a skill you can learn it