Has Anyone Ever Doubted Your Potential?

​Words and opinions can cut deep. Especially when they come from someone we admire, or someone in a position of authority.

And sometimes, the words we hear in our younger and most formative years echo in our minds for years and even decades later.

Maybe it was a comment you overheard someone say, or an opinion that was made about your capability. An offhand remark from a teacher, a family member, or even a boss that stuck like super-glue to your young mind's identity.
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And without realizing it, you’ve spent your whole life trying to prove them wrong.
That was the story of my client, Heidi.

When High Expectations Turn Into Self-Doubt

On the outside, Heidi was the definition of “success”. She was a high-performing leader, in a fantastic role, valued by her organization and known to be a person who always strived to go above and beyond.

But on the inside, her inner critic was screaming "you'll never be good enough" on loud speaker.

• Anxiety disrupted her days and her sleep
• Work felt exhausting on the constant spiral of overthinking
• And the pressure she placed on herself second-guessing every decision clouded her mind

Heidi described it this way:

💭 “I’m placing pressure on myself to perform outside my already high capacity, worrying what others think, constantly overthinking things outside my control, and generally feeling like I’m not achieving - when those around me have praise for who I am and what I do.”

Sound familiar?

​This is the reality for so many perfectionists and high-achievers. You push yourself to impossible standards to achieve many accomplishments - but instead of fueling confidence and pride, those expectations quietly fuel anxiety and burnout.

The Root Cause of the Lack in Confidence? A Two Decade Old Self-Limiting Belief

Through our coaching together, we uncovered the deeper fear driving Heidi’s perfectionism and self-belief. It all traced back to ONE sentence she overheard someone in a position of authority say about her as a teenager:

“She’s never going to amount to anything.”

Imagine your younger self hearing those words.

The impact can go one of two ways:

1. You might take the anger and hurt and use it as fuel to prove them wrong, pushing yourself harder and higher… or
2. You might absorb the fear and pain as fact, letting it quietly sink into your identity and self-worth

For many women the impact usually depends on how much importance they placed on the person who said the words.

For Heidi, the shock, embarassment, hurt, shame and confusion were far too much for her young mind to process.

As often happens, Heidi held an uncomfortable mix of BOTH impacts - driving achievement on the outside, while eroding confidence on the inside.

What if they're right about me? It's probably true. If they believe it, then it must be right. Maybe I'll never amount to anything. 

What we uncovered together in coaching:​

Those words took root and became a self-limiting belief in Heidi's unconscious mind. Quietly shaping how she saw herself for years to come and the reason she was on a perpetual anxiety-burnout cycle in almost every job she held.

Every achievement, every promotion, every late night working was, in some way, tied to proving that belief and that person wrong. Over time that person became her inner critic, the relentless reminder of not being enough, the constant shadow on her achievements.

This is what limiting beliefs do:
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• They keep us trapped in cycles of overachievement
• They fuel imposter syndrome and self-criticism, even when others praise our work
• They push us towards burnout, with pressure that never lets up
• And they drain the happiness from success

The Transformation: From Perfectionism to Confidence

After just 8 weeks of working together, Heidi experienced a huge shift. Through a powerful Timeline Therapy® process we released the old limiting belief and insecurities driving her perfectionism and reframed her relationship with success.

Within weeks Heidi was:

• Promoted into an incredible leadership role
• Saying yes to speaking engagements she once avoided
• Making future decisions with clarity, confidence, and self-belief

​Today, Heidi is thriving in a senior leadership role and serving on multiple boards, dedicating her expertise to companies and causes she’s truly passionate about. Not to prove anyone wrong, but because she believes in her own potential.

How to Release the Pressure Yourself

If you’ve been carrying the weight of someone else’s words (or your own impossible standards) here’s where to start:

1. Notice the trigger → What situation makes your inner critic the loudest?
2. Name the belief → Underneath all the layers of noise what is the core belief you've decided to be true about yourself?
3. Is this your belief or someone elses? → Whose voice are you still carrying? Is it even yours?

When you move from proving yourself to believing in yourself, everything changes.

​-Janel Briggs, Confidence & Mindset Coach

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Ready to Reclaim Your Confidence?

Heidi’s story is proof that you’re not defined by the doubts of others - or the impossible expectations you’ve placed on yourself.
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If you’re ready to release the pressure, break free from old patterns and belief's that have been holding you back from your true potential, I’d love to support you.

My 'University of You' mentoring program is now open for October enrollment.

Book a free Confidence Kickstart Session Today