Change is part of life. It happens whether you want it to or not. But when it comes to making change — steering it in the direction you want — most people struggle. That’s not just anecdotal: around 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail, and over 95% of dieters regain lost weight within three years. Clearly, desire alone isn’t enough.
What’s going on? Often, people get in their own way. Without realizing it, they sabotage their progress or skip critical steps. The good news? Change isn’t out of reach — it just requires strategy, commitment and clarity. Below, we’ll examine the three most common internal obstacles that hold people back from real, lasting change — and how to dismantle them.
Before you can start to plan your success goals, there are many things that you need to understand before you can be sure that the goals you set are really the ones you want.
One of those things is to determine if there are any Limiting Beliefs that can stop you from actually achieving those goals.
I have a self-study Limiting Belief Program that you can go through to determine what your Limiting Beliefs are and how you can remove them.
You can read more and register for the program at Limiting Beliefs Program on my Confidence and Life Coaching website.
Start your journey on your path to success by identifying and removing your Limiting Beliefs so that you make the journey a lot easier.
You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.
The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address) Limiting Beliefs Download
Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.
If you are ready to move even further into the process of Identifying and removing and replacing your Limiting Beliefs, you should consider my short Limiting Belief’s Coaching Program
Obstacle 1: Fear of Uncertainty
One of the biggest things that keeps people stuck is the desire for security. Familiar routines, even bad ones, can feel safer than the unknown. But staying in that comfort zone comes at a cost: growth, fulfillment and the life you truly want.
How to Push Past It:
- Let Go of Judgment
Instead of labelling people or events as good or bad, stay curious. Withhold immediate conclusions and give yourself time to think. This helps you stay open to new opportunities. - Define What You Want
Clarity kills anxiety. Vague goals create vague outcomes. Write down what you want, why it matters and what it will feel like to reach it. - Visualize the Upside
Most people get stuck imagining what could go wrong. Flip the script. Picture the best-case scenarios. Imagine the gains. This shift fuels motivation. - Start Tiny
Confidence grows from small wins. Change doesn’t need to be dramatic to be meaningful. Make one change, succeed and use that momentum.
Obstacle 2: Lack of Resources (or the Belief That You Don’t Have Enough)
Sometimes, change requires more than willpower — it needs resources. That might be time, money, support or knowledge. And if you think you don’t have enough, you may not even try.
But here’s the truth: you can work with what you’ve got and build as you go.
How to Build Capacity:
- Set Clear Priorities
Change gets overwhelming when you chase too many things at once. Choose one or two core goals. Focus creates momentum. - Declutter and Systematize
Clean out mental and physical clutter. Create routines that make your day smoother. Systems reduce decision fatigue and save you energy. - Rework Your Budget
Change often costs something — whether that’s cash or time. Audit your spending. Find leaks. Bring lunch from home. Cancel subscriptions you don’t use. Shift money toward your goals. - Learn What You Don’t Know
If you’re stuck, you may be missing a skill or piece of knowledge. Take a free online course. Watch YouTube tutorials. Ask experts questions. Learning is a low-cost, high-return investment. - Ask for Help
Trying to do everything alone is a setup for burnout. Build a support system. Ask for advice, accountability or even practical help. People want to support you — if you let them.
Obstacle 3: Stubborn Habits
Habits are like grooves in your brain. Once you’ve done something a certain way for long enough, it becomes automatic. This can work for you — or against you.
You can’t break a bad habit just by deciding to stop. You need to understand what triggers it, what it’s giving you and what you can replace it with.
How to Shift Habits That Hold You Back:
- Spot the Triggers
What kicks off the habit you want to change? Maybe it’s stress, boredom or a specific time of day. Get specific. You can’t change what you don’t understand. - Swap, Don’t Just Stop
Replace the old habit with something better. If you always grab junk food when stressed, have a healthy snack ready instead. If you scroll your phone at bedtime, keep a book by the bed. - Practice Mindful Repetition
Habits don’t change overnight. Research shows it can take 60+ days for a new habit to stick. Consistency matters more than intensity. Keep showing up. - Celebrate Progress
Progress — even imperfect progress — is worth celebrating. Recognize when you make better choices, and let that success feed your motivation.
Progress Over Perfection
Change doesn’t require perfection. It requires persistence. You won’t get everything right the first time — and that’s normal. What matters is that you keep going, keep adjusting and keep showing up for yourself.
The real roadblock isn’t your lack of willpower, money or time. It’s the belief that you can’t change — or that it’s too hard to try.
Once you recognize which internal obstacle is holding you back — fear of the unknown, lack of resources or unhelpful habits — you can begin to take real, concrete steps forward.
Every step counts. Every win builds confidence. And every time you keep going, you move closer to the life you actually want.
To talk about any aspect of success or working with a Life Coach to help you to achieve success, you can book a 30-minute call by clicking on the blue button below.
Don’t try to do all of this by yourself, ask and receive the guidance that can get you moving towards your own success.
Working together can help you overcome personal and professional barriers, ensuring you reach your highest potential.
Nothing happens until action is taken.
To your success.
Michael
P.S if you want to find out more about my programs just check out the site Confidence and Life Coaching
P.P.S. If you enjoy reading these articles on my blog, I have more books that have more of this type of information that you can find out more about at Books to Read. You can buy these ebooks at many on-line book stores. The links to the bookstores are at the link above.
P.P.P.S. You can download a free PDF containing five articles on Limiting Beliefs and how to overcome them and achieve things in your career and personal life.
The PDF can be downloaded here (and you don’t have to register or provide an email address) Limiting Beliefs Download
Download the file and go over the other material that you can find on the Confidence and Life Coaching website.
P.P.P.P.S. If you are ready to move even further into the process of Identifying and removing and replacing your Limiting Beliefs, you should consider my short Limiting Belief’s Coaching Program
P.P.P.P.P.S. I have posted a series of articles on the “Fear of Success” at Confidence and Life Coaching. You can also request a free PDF of all 4-articles by sending me an email message at michael@coachmichaelw.com
Photo by Ulrike Plaggenborg on Unsplash
