Most people blame fear of judgement for holding them back.
We imagine people saying:
“Who does she think she is?”
“What if she messes it up?”
“Why would she do that?”
We replay old comments that cut deeper than they should.
A raised eyebrow. A casual remark. A passing opinion we overthink for days.
But the sting isn’t caused by them at all.
It’s caused by the tiny part of you that quietly agrees.
When you're scared of being judged, complete one line:
“I’m afraid people will see me as…”
Too ambitious
Too selfish
Too naive
Too much
Then switch it.
Because the real sentence is:
“Deep down I see myself as…”
And that’s the part that needs attention.
A friend told me she held back from growing her business because she worried her circle would think she’d “changed”. That wanting more meant she thought she was better than them.
We talked. And found out the fear wasn’t coming from them at all.
She simply hadn’t made peace with wanting more.
She’d been carrying an old story that rich people were selfish. So every time someone made a comment about money, it hurt.
Not because it was true. Because it aligned with a belief she hadn’t challenged.
She rewrote it.
She realised that money and contribution can grow together.
That helping more people often requires earning more.
That ambition doesn’t cancel compassion.
When she stopped judging herself, the fear of external judgement vanished.
The hesitation stopped.
The growth began.
If you want freedom from other people’s opinions, start with the opinion you hold about yourself.
Do that work. And suddenly everything gets a lot quieter.
What belief could you rewrite?
