Everybody has a dream in their heart. They stem from our unique gifts which are part of our higher purpose here on this earth to share with the world. When the life we’re living is not in alignment with this calling, it can result in feeling less than happy and fulfilled.

But, it’s not always easy to muster up the courage to go after your dreams and break status quo. What if you fall short? Where do you even begin?And those who do find the strength to go for it sometimes give up too soon upon realizing it’s more difficult than they imagined. Things aren’t happening as fast as they “should.”

I’m here to tell you – don’t give up on your daydream! What that little voice inside is telling you and the direction your heartstrings are pulling you is some not-so-subtle guidance on how to live your life with intent and purpose. If you want to be ridiculously happy, you have to follow the calling and live and breathe your truth.

But how? It takes time, persistence, flexibility, focus, energy, and a darn good sense of humor doesn’t hurt, either. As an unconventional 7-figure CEO that runs multiple business ventures, I have fallen flat on my face plenty of time. And, yeah, I’ve even felt like throwing in the towel a time or two. It sucks when the Universe punches you in the gut. But, it happens to the best of us. And, there is usual a pretty major lesson and opportunity for growth within … if you stay open to it. In these instances along my journey, I got up, brushed myself off, and kept trying. And, in the process, I learned a thing (or seven) about what really limits our success and learned how to overcome these blocks. They’re not what you typically hear about or learn in business school, either. While business savvy is important, these truths touch more on the spiritual side. They can help elevate your success to a whole new level.

How to Overcome the 7 Biggest Blocks to Success

1. Don’t stop believing. Not believing in yourself & your vision will kill your dreams faster than you can say “hold on to that feeling.” (That’s a Journey reference for you young folks reading this!) Belief is the cornerstone of every successful person’s repertoire. When you don’t believe in yourself, other people energetically pick up on it, as will the Universe. You attract more of the energy you put out, so you don’t want to be putting out a lot of self-doubt and other negative and low-vibe thoughts. Self-love and confidence, on the other hand, are very high-vibe and will resonate with the Universe in a way that allows you to more easily bring your vision to life. Many people start out with a strong belief, but allow it to wane when the going gets tough. In trying times, it is important to always go back to the “why” behind what you’re doing. What impact do you want to have in the world and on your life? How do you want to feel as you go about your day? Are you more focused on the cause or the applause. Reconnecting with these pure intentions will help you stay connected to your dreams and vision in a positive way.
2. Fix financial woes. Whether it’s not having clarity on what you need to make vs. what you need to spend, or not understanding the amount of capital it actually takes to start-up and fund a business, running out of cash is a very common reason that many businesses go under. But, digging even deeper, many people have money “issues” at a subconscious level. Perhaps it’s the notion that making money is not spiritual (as money being the ‘root of all evil’ is a common misconception), or it could be a deep-rooted belief that one is not worthy of financial abundance. These limiting beliefs are often a show-stopper when it comes to aligning your purpose with earning a living. As a result, dream-chasers can end up packing it up and heading back to day jobs they don’t love (That is, of those who weren’t too scared to risk leaving in the first place). Taking the time and making the effort to have a clear understanding of financials as well as uncovering and healing any deep-rooted money blocks can exponentially increase the likelihood of business success and financial abundance.
3. Don’t quit before the finish line. Some people will never know how close they really were to success because they threw in the towel right before their big break. Times will get tough and you will be tempted with every ounce of your being to call it quits. And, there might even be times when that is the right decision. But, more often than not, if you are following your heart, you probably just need to look at things with fresh eyes. What makes one successful is digging in when you really feel like giving in and giving up. Instead of calling it quits, get back up, dust yourself off, be open to the lessons you are blessed with, revamp and try and try again. You wouldn’t train for a marathon and then give up a mile before the finish line. No way! Walking, limping, or even crawling across are perfectly okay. Same goes with your life and dreams. Just don’t give up!
4. Bust through internal blocks & limiting beliefs. Energy-sucking thought-vampires come in all shapes and sizes. Much like the money “issues” that often come up, there could also be some deep-rooted beliefs that you will never be successful or that you don’t deserve to be. Or, perhaps it is your own greatness that scares you the most. These beliefs often stem from childhood and we might not even know they are there. I find that self-reflective journaling and meditation are highly effective tools to help bring these destructive thoughts to the surface so you can heal them. Find a quiet spot to mediate and before you begin ask yourself “What am I most afraid of? What is holding me back right now?” As you sit in silence, the voice of your heart and soul can rise up over the negative chatter in your brain. Be open to whatever thoughts come and go in your meditation and simply label them “thoughts.” When you are done, take your journal and allow the feelings and observations to flow out of you through free-writing. Don’t worry about punctuation or grammar. Just let it all out. When you’re done, reflect on what you’ve learned about yourself. It can be pretty eye-opening and life changing!
5. Listen to your gut! At any given point, we have at least a hundred other people in our ears: friends, family, business partners, random strangers on the internet. Many of them mean well (some not so much), but they all have opinions about what you should be doing and how you should be doing it. While it’s always a good thing to keep an open mind and give some value to the thoughts of others, at the end of the day: You are the guru. Always! We all have our own internal guidance system built-in. When we learn to become still, we can clearly hear the gentle guidance of our heart and soul. Learn to take what others say and do with a grain of salt and, instead, follow your own intuition. It will never lead you astray.
6. Be adaptable. We often find ourselves out there trying to steer the river instead of just going with the flow and allowing the current to take us along for a ride. We get so attached to the vision in our own mind that we sometimes forget we are actually co-creators in our lives. Yes, I believe in taking accountability for our own actions and that we can manifest our own reality. But, at the same time, there is so much in our lives that is completely out of our control. Once we learn to become easy-going and less-attached, we soon realize that the Universe has an even greater plan than what we originally intended. What does that mean to you? Sometimes the plan has to change. You need to be willing to re-write again and again. We must learn to hold our vision and dreams ever so loosely (like a cute baby chick). Imagine what happens when you squeeze that baby chick too hard. (Oh no! Right?) The same thing can happen to your dreams. So, be easy. Learn the art of unattachment while striving for achievement. It’s a delicate dance.
7. Be in alignment. When you’re listen to the calling of your heart and soul and what you do is alignment with your truth, amazing things start to happen naturally. Otherwise, it can seem like nothing is going like it should. This would be the equivalent of getting up and doing something everyday that you don’t love … just for a paycheck. Figuring out a way to line up some of your passions with your work is the recipe for a happy and fulfilled life. When you combine the use of your talents with fulfilling your purpose, the impact you can make in the world as well as your own happiness have limitless potential.

Of course, business savvy is always a plus when it comes to turning your dreams into reality. You need to bring a unique offering to the table or have the ability to solve problems and a strategic business plan that covers all the business nuts and bolts. But, there is so much more beyond the physical world that also plays a major role. When you combine both the practical and the metaphysical, you become a powerful creative force to be reckoned with, you dream-chaser you! Now go make some magic happen. xo

(To learn more of these strategies at a deeper level and turn your passion and purpose into profits, join Dawn Gluskin’s six week online course: The Time is Now! Registration is now open. Also, join the Type-A Zen movement by signing up for email inspiration & following on Facebook and Instagram.)