"Stop Waiting." These 5 Lies Are Stealing Your Future

 By:  Nofisat Raheems

                                             Lies Stealing Your Future

You have the concept. The fire. The hunger. You spend your nights dreaming about the difference you could make, the freedom you could experience, and the legacy you could leave behind. However, you're still stuck in some way. It's not that you lack resources or talent, but rather that something more fundamental is preventing you from moving forward.

The market is not the issue. The competition isn't the issue. Not even your bank account is involved.

It's your convictions.

In your head, there are silent saboteurs living in luxury. They persuade you to play small, cast doubt on you, and warp reality. Not only can these poisonous ideas slow you down, but they also put an end to your business aspirations before they can even begin.

Let's name them and bring them into the open because you can finally let go once you can see them plainly.

§  "Before I begin, I must have everything worked out."

This idea poses as knowledge. It advises you to hold off until the time is ideal, the strategy is flawless, and there is no risk. The reality is that movement, not meditation, is the key to insight.
Every prosperous businessperson you look up to had a messy beginning. They had half-baked plans before they launched, changed course in midair, and gained experience. A wait for certainty is nothing more than rationalized fear.

Get started right away. Be tenacious from the beginning. Get frightened. Simply begin.

§  "I'm not good enough."

This one is really hurtful; it's the voice that asks, "Who do you think you are?" It compares your beginning to someone else's middle and makes you feel like an impostor. The truth is, though, that every expert was once a beginner, and every master once had self-doubt. Confidence is a result, not a prerequisite; you earn it by showing up, failing forward, and refusing to give up.

You are enough. Right now. As you are.

§  "Success means sacrificing my happiness.

"You've been told that being an entrepreneur is a grind, that you have to work around the clock, burn out, and bleed for your goals. As a result, you put off your dreams out of concern that they will steal your peace. However, true success isn't about suffering but rather about alignment; it's about creating something that makes you feel good rather than bad. You don't have to choose between impact and joy; you can have both. Your dream should feel liberating rather than confining.

§  "I need your permission."

You're awaiting confirmation of your concept. A guide, an employer, a marketplace. You believe that before you can proceed, you need permission. Entrepreneurship, however, is defiance. It's about making your own decision. "I believe in this enough to bet on it—even if no one else does," it is stating.

Don't wait any longer. Nobody is coming to give you a crown. The permission is you.

§  "Failure means I'm a failure."

The most dangerous of all is the belief that "failure means I'm a failure." It makes you fear mistakes so much that you never take chances, it ties your value to your victories, and it shames you when things don't work out. However, failure is a teacher, it is feedback, it is evidence that you're in the arena and not on the sidelines, and the only true failure is giving up. You are not your setbacks; you are your resilience.

You were born to do this. If you've been feeling stuck, stalled, or afraid, it's because you've been believing lies. But now you know, and knowledge is power. Your dream is waiting for you, not for approval or perfection, just for you. So go ahead and build. And when those toxic beliefs try to resurface, remind yourself that you were meant to do this.

 

Nofisat Raheems