The Only Thing That Can Hold You Back Is Yourself

The Truth Behind the Words

"The only thing that can hold you back is yourself." This isn't just some motivational talk; it's a real and useful truth.

Today, I saw different scenarios. For example, some people go abroad to study and then start a business there, making about 20,000 a month. Behind this success are strong execution ability, social skills, communication skills, and plenty of energy. Some of these might be natural talents, and it's really impressive.

I also saw discussions in a group. People were talking about how to run a community, when it should end, whether it's okay to dissolve the group after the service is delivered, whether to remove users whose membership has expired, and if new users who join later will feel cheated.

In short, there are too many things to consider and worry about, especially for those who are just starting to make a product. They often have a strong sense of responsibility. Since they've taken people's money, they're really worried about not delivering well and making others unhappy.

The intention is good, but there's no need to over - think it. If you're really worried, you can choose to over - deliver. Charge less and give more.

The worst thing is to assume there are a lot of difficulties and problems before even starting.

Work and the Fear of Taking Action

I also noticed that some friends are having problems at work. Their company might be in a bad situation, with no tasks, and they might have to leave. Or they're being owed salary, not getting paid, and the work is too tiring. For these reasons, they plan to take a break and then look for a new job. This is actually quite normal.

But when it comes to making money, everyone has ideas. After all, they're not young anymore. However, not many people are really willing to take the first step and try to make money.

Whether it's doing self - media, e - commerce, or knowledge payment, many people tend to judge whether it's feasible based on what they've heard.

For example, when it comes to knowledge payment, many people's first reaction is "it's a scam to take people's money."

But if you ask them if they've ever been scammed or if they've ever done anything related, they usually say no.

So where did they get this idea? Most people just read some things online, on short - video platforms, in the news, or in articles. They haven't verified it themselves, and even the people around them haven't really tried it.

As a result, these unproven pieces of information become their excuse not to take action. But is this excuse really valid? Not really.

When it comes to so - called "scams to take people's money," how much can really be taken? Only a very small number of people might spend tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. And this kind of thing happens more often in fields like investment, finance, and stocks than in the knowledge - payment field.

If you spend money on a course, at most it's a few thousand. If you think it's not worth it or the service is bad, you just stop after one try. But if you invest in stocks, start a business, or open a store, you might easily spend hundreds of thousands. Once you lose, it's all gone.

So, who really has a higher cost and a greater risk?

People just need an excuse to convince themselves that what they're doing is right and reasonable.

The word "investment" sounds great, like you're being very motivated. But when it comes to paying for a course, it feels different.

Why do you want to take a course? Is it because you can't do it on your own? Is your self - learning ability not good enough? Taking a course seems like admitting you're not capable, and you might even be laughed at: "You've been scammed. It's a waste of money."

Or people might say: "It's so easy. There are so many free resources online. Why do you need to take a course?" These comments actually become obstacles.

Overcoming Self - Limitations

Going back to the beginning: "The only thing that can hold you back is yourself." This doesn't mean you should quit your job right away and start a business, or do something risky like just taking off on a trip or quitting to go to Dali. You need to evaluate your ability to take risks based on the actual situation.

Your mindset and mental state are one thing, and the objective reality is another.

Some people are easily influenced by online short - videos. They either get anxious and don't dare to act, or they're led astray by some motivational content.

So, when you decide to do something, it's best to verify it first.

There are two ways to verify. One is to ask people you can directly contact around you. The other is to get information through one - level - removed sources that you can still understand.

Moreover, don't just listen to one person. It's better to ask several people or try it yourself.

There's a very powerful saying: Whether you can achieve something often doesn't depend on your ability, but on how much you really want to achieve it.

For example, in work, losing weight, keeping fit, making money, writing an article, or creating a product, the key lies in how strong your desire, motivation, and determination are. This is what I've been exploring.

What can give me strong motivation to achieve something? I've been looking for it. If I find such a thing, it can almost become the big direction of my life and the source of my motivation.

Whenever you want to give up, can't help being lazy, or can't get up, just thinking about it will make you full of energy again.

One way is to set extremely difficult challenges for yourself. These challenges have to be something you really believe in. If you don't, it's easy to just give up.

You can make a dream list and write down your goals for this year, next year, or even in the next five or ten years. Make the goals as big as possible.

Think about what kind of height you want to reach and what kind of life you want to live in five or ten years.

Daily Reading & Writing by Xiaolu 2025.07.15 [Day 680]