18 Successful CEO's Share their Biggest Sabotages (and Shifts!)

Ready to fully step into the CEO role of your business? 

I get it, sometimes we have fears and sabotages that get in the way. 

I've asked 18 of my favorite CEO sisters to share their biggest fears and the shifts that have helped them find breakthrough.

THEY ARE SO GOOD and had me saying, "yes. yes. YES!" as I compiled them. Ready below to get inspired (and feel normal!), then comment with the biggest sabotage you have overcome.If you haven't joined the waitlist yet for my newest freebie that will help you with the systems and structure to scale your life and business to the next level without the burnout,

 sign up for "CEO Central" here.

Brianna Wilkerson, Holistic Health and Life Coach | Essential Oils Advocate

Sabotage: Who am I to be “paid money” for my coaching services? How do I really help people?Shift: Not only do I consistently show up and serve my tribe/community and my clients/customers with my time and knowledge, I’m always thinking of how to serve them better and make shifts in my own life to do so. Therefore, because of the value I give I deserve to receive value (in the form of money) in return.Learn more about Brianna and her work atwww.madewell345.com/

Jess Garay, Soul Coach

Sabotage: Who am I to use my coaching business as sole income for my family and release my safe + secure job?Shift:  Shifting into business fully allows me to do the work that lights me up + makes a large impact for the world around me. When I trust and release, show up fully and in alignment, magic happens. I am supported. I am safe. I am enough.Learn more about Jess and her work at www.jessgaray.com

Chantelle Davis-Gray, Web & Brand Designer

Sabotage: Who am I to allow myself "me" time during traditional work hours, that could be spent on my business?Shift: When I take time to move my body & quiet my mind, my business benefits because I have more compassion and patience with my clients, I find creative solutions faster, and inspiration (for their projects & new services) hits more often! Part of the reason I own my own business is to get to decide when I do what - so it doesn’t help anyone if I don’t take advantage of this. Learn more about Chantelle and her work at www.chantelledavisgray.com/

Maggie Reyes, Life Coach + Marriage Mentor

Sabotage: Who am I to put myself first? Making time for my Self could hurt my business or my relationships.Shift: Making time for myself doesn’t hurt my business or my marriage - it fuels both of them. Neither my business nor my relationship can fulfill ALL of my needs. It’s up to me to get my needs met - including the need for rest, for fun, for connection and creativity or to talk at length about my very strong feelings about the latest episode of Arrow. ;-) When all my needs are met consistently, I get to show up as my best, brightest, highest self for my husband, for my clients and community and for my Self. Prioritizing self care actually fuels every other area of my life and business and whenever I remember and live into that, I thrive. Learn more about Maggie and her work at www.ModernMarried.com

Patti Haus, Copywriter and Course Launch Strategist

Sabotage: How can I scale my copywriting business without working all the time? Shift: When I understand my own boundaries, I become more productive and efficient, allowing me to produce better work in less time. Scheduling time to not only work but to enjoy time not working will allow me to better serve my clients with their copy projects. It will also allow me to enjoy some of the reasons why I started my own business, like choosing when I work and working less hours than a traditional 9-5Learn more about Patti and her work at www.pattihaus.com

Trish Russell, Performance Strategist

Sabotage: What is a social boundary, do I always have to be “on”? I want to build a business and be credible AND bring in money. So, I have to build up my network by meeting, serving and building a relationship with most of the people, if not all the people, who come across my path. Or else I’m failing in my business and personal life. Shift: Simply, no. I AM called to connect and be polite with each person who comes across my path because I’m a heart-centered human being and care about people. However, when it comes to business, there is a strategy involved to build momentum and maintain consistency as I intentionally engage with those around me. Streamlining my connection process allows me to identify which clients are a great fit right now, say yes to strategic collaborations for both business owners, and strengthen my emotional capacity to be present in my professional and personal life. These systems and processes also allow me to be a positive light to those who come across my path, when appropriate point them in a fruitful direction, never hesitate to follow up next week or months later, and allow natural connections to cultivate over time. Learn more about Trish and her work at www.commitandreclaim.com

Casey Lightbody, Business Strategist and Champion for Introverted Women

Sabotage: Who am I to speak on stage/other platforms and share my knowledge? I have nothing uniquely valuable to share and everyone has heard it all before.Shift: Reframing my thinking outwards rather than inwards has made this shift possible. Sharing my knowledge and expertise is a gift to other introverted women walking the entrepreneurial path because I’ve walked and continue to walk it myself and my own experiences, values and beliefs give a different perspective not offered anywhere else.Learn more about Casey and her work at www.quietcollective.com.au

Maggie Giele, Msc. Business and Marketing Strategist

Sabotage: Fear and anxietyShift: I stayed stuck in fear for too long, terrified of what it would mean to take the leap. My examples were both concrete (fear of flying and driving) and intangible (what would it mean if this launch fails). I’ve never been one for mindset or anything woo-woo, but I caught myself saying to someone “I’m scared of flying” one too many times. I realised that’s why the fear and anxiety had been getting worse - by repeating those statements, in my thoughts and out loud to others, I was reinforcing that fear and giving it weight. The moment I realised this, I actively started shifting my thoughts. “I can’t wait till I’m in LA, so I have to fly there!” and “when I can drive by myself, I’ll have so much more freedom!”. I took signed up for driving refresher lessons and booked a solo trip to LA, from Amsterdam. Breaking through these barriers also had positive impact in my business - hiring a Chief Operations Officer, setting up systems, letting go of control of certain processes, and stepping into my own CEO shoes.Learn more about Maggie and her work at: www.maggiegiele.com

Melissa Ronda, Certified Nutritionist, Owner of The Honest Weigh

Sabotage: Holding emotional space for othersShift: I am working on an onboarding process.  I will stick to the process and expect the same from all of my clients.  I will work when I am at my desk. I will not work when I am away from my desk.  I will focus on income producing activities instead of mindlessly checking Facebook.Learn more about Melissa and her work at www.thehonestweigh.com

Caitlin Howard, Business Mentor & Strategist

Sabotage: Who am I to help women start and grow their businesses?Shift: I don’t have to know EVERYTHING to help women get started and gain momentum. When this comes up for me, I try to remember the positive feedback I have received from the women I have helped, as well as the experience I have that does qualify me to be a resource. Learn more about Caitlin and her work at www.blissfulbiz.com

Christa Conn, Business Strategist & Support Specialist

Sabotage: Who am I to want more?!? I feel guilty wanting more when I already have so much!Shift: I think guilt is really common for entrepreneurs. And it unfortunately keeps us from setting goals we truly and deeply desire. When I think about all the blessings I already have compared to those struggling - the guilt creeps in and I want to stay small and just make the income I need to work from home, run my business, and support my family. But when I drop all of the guilt, I know I have HUGE, crazy big dreams of more and that wanting more comes from something much deeper than a number in the bank account, a bigger house, or more time to travel. I want more, so that I can take my entire family on a week long vacation to the Caribbean and let them live it up without worry. And so I can send my kids to whatever school or activity or pursuit they have, so they can see their dreams come true too! And so that I can donate to grant wishes for suffering children whose families just can't grant their wishes. So I can help my friends and family whenever they need it. So that I can serve as many women as possible chasing their entrepreneurial dream!!When I think about everything I could do with MORE - with true financial freedom, it brings me to my knees! Because it’s not about the more,it’s about the WHY. Focus on why you want more and shift the guilt into a mindset of service.Learn more about Christa and her work at www.christaconn.com

Janelle Jai, Transformational Life and Health Coach for Mid-life Women

Sabotage: Who am I to think I can help others when I still have my messes?Shift: The quickest way to change beliefs is to reframe. Reframing is changing the meaning of an experience or event by putting another frame around it. This causes us see things differently. It offers a new, more empowering interpretation that paves the way to come into greater rapport with ourselves. When we change the meaning we often change our feelings about what is being framed. Something that used to feel negative can instantly feel positive when reframed.  Sometimes this is all we need to change a belief and sometime deeper belief work is what we need. My reframes for this are:Who am I not to? What if your messes are a contribution? We are all works of progress. We are never finished but evolving. What if where you’re at is just perfect?

Learn more about Janelle and her work atwww.janellejai.com

Angie Martin, Certified Life Purpose Coach

Sabotage: Who Am I to call myself an EXPERT - as a coach and working with fellow moms?Shift: I am a trained and certified life coach.  I have hundreds of hours of training and coaching, even if I have only been officially open for business for about a year.  I am also a mom of two, in the trenches, but with the added training and personal development that puts me a few steps ahead of my clients, and that’s enough.  I am close to their pain, but overcoming it sooner. I am armed with a toolbox full of ways to handle the challenges we are all going through, and I understand what it’s like to still sometimes not be able to use those tools.  As a coach, I also have added insight that can be helpful to my clients as well as pretty awesome active LISTENING skills. My ability to hold space for my clients and intuitively know what questions to ask them so they can find their own answers within, all of that makes me an expert. I’m embracing that word, and intentionally done cringing every time I hear it. Oh and I guess 11 years as a practicing attorney working 1:1 with clients in really difficult situations as their advocate probably also makes me an expert. So yeah, step aside inner critic, and stop sabotaging, will you?  Learn more about Angie and her work atwww.angiemartincoaching.com

 Michelle Meunier, Business Mentor and Confidence Coach

Sabotage: Who am I to coach people when there are so many coaches with more experience than me.Shift: Other coaches may have more experience but they are not me. I am different and my story is different which means the support and encouragement I offer is unique and important regardless of how similar the strategy may or may not be. Believing this and trusting my worth allows me to confidently support my clients through transformations of their own.Learn more about Michelle and her work atwww.michellemeuniercompany.com

Lacey Sites, Business Mentor & Success Coach

Sabotage:  “Who am I to have it all?”Shift: As I’ve grown my business (and started a second with my best friend) and gotten to income levels, client successes, and happiness/fulfillment spaces I didn’t even know were possible I found myself thinking I’d have to sacrifice in other areas. When I started the divorce process last year, I found it easy to self-sabotage with the story that,“SEE! I can’t REALLY have it ALL”. However, what I eventually realized that caused a massive shift for me was that it was actually evidence that I don’t have to settle in ANY area of my life. I get to have and move toward what I want, and keep creating it. In other words, “Who am I NOT to have it all and keep moving toward the things that feel the best to me?” That was a total game-changer, and of course, has massively upleveled my business AND my relationships. Learn more about Lacey and her work atwww.alituplife.com

Tracy May, Coach & Mentor to Preemie Moms

Sabotage: Who am I to think that preemie moms can benefit from what I have to offer.Shift: I have been called to serve in a way that allows me to leverage my own years of personal experience with prematurity to positively impact the lives of other preemie moms. With prematurity comes isolation, overwhelm, anxiety and fear and I believe I am here to share my story and my experiences to inspire them to begin to embrace their new normal.Learn more about Tracy and her work atwww.miraclemomentsmatter.com

Courtney Raecker, Career Coach & Business Consultant

Sabotage: Paralyzed by fear in my work + life, letting it have way too much power over me.Shift: The song called "Fear Is A Liar" by Zach Williams is one of the anthems in my heart, soul, and mind these days. Hearing the words of this song in my day-to-day life sounding like "I'm not good enough, not strong enough, not worthy, not loved, not beautiful, and I'll never be enough. Fear is a liar that will take my breath, stop me in my steps, rob me of rest, and steal my happiness." I think the shift away from letting that fear win over me and give up was when I started to acknowledge that it was happening and really started to lean into my faith to get me through it. I think acknowledging the presence of fear and that it wasn't worthy of that power I gave it really helped me move past that paralyzing mindset into a more courageous, empowered mindset and approach to work + life. Now, I wholeheartedly trust "my guide" and feel empowered to boldly take action more than ever before - in all aspects of my life.Learn more about Courtney and her work atwww.truenorthcareersllc.com

Deanna Carlisle, Career Coach

Sabotage:  “Who am I to continue to pursue my business growth even in a season of personal and financial change where a full-time job might seem the safer more responsible direction”Shift: Now more than ever my business is a way for me to express myself and use the transformation in my personal life to fuel my business transformation and growth. Growing my business has the potential to give me what I MOST want, more time with my family, flexibility with my time, greater financial resources and impact on others. This season of my life has brought me back to understanding my authentic self and my business is perfectly aligned with that vision - I feel more of who I am and was meant to be when I’m working with my clients then I ever thought I could. Learn more about Deanna and her work atwww.youthcareercompass.com