Do you ever ask yourself the question, “who am I to do this?” If so, you’re  not alone. Though I know that statement is none too comforting and sometimes  it’s even quite minimizing, right?

I mean the last thing you need to be told when you are struggling with  something is that EVERYONE feels that way. Cuz let’s face it, we’re not talking  about everyone, we’re talking about YOU.

So, I’m not going to tell you that this is a limiting thought people,  especially entrepreneurs, have all of the time so join the party because I don’t  think that’s very helpful. But, what I am going to share with you is a little  belief of my own, that I’ve discovered after too many coaching calls to count:  If you’re not experiencing the level of success you want, somewhere you  are not owning what is utterly and completely you. As a matter of fact,  you are likely committing the cardinal sin of entrepreneurship, dressing down  your personality and your credibility factors.

Let’s give each their due starting with your credibility factors. This is where many of my clients get stuck and it shows up in a variety of ways.

1) They think they have to have this certification or do that program and as soon as they accumulate just one more acronym next to their name, then they’ll have the credibility to put themselves out there as the expert.

2) They do the “guru dance” and go from coach to coach, mentor to mentor, learning and modeling everything they have done to the T, only to find out that wasn’t enough either.

3) They think they aren’t old enough, haven’t had enough clients, haven’t made enough money, etc. etc.

4) They really want to do something in their business, take it in a new direction but think since they have not gotten paid to do this before, then they have no right to demand money for the service or product.

Here’s the real deal. Certainly it would be a pretty big challenge to put yourself out there as expert in weight loss and fitness if you are super overweight and can’t walk around the block without losing your breath. Remember the Seinfeld episode when George decides that what he really wants to do is be a commentator/analyst for the New York Yankees and he’s convinced he’s just going to go out and get the job. Then Jerry says “George don’t those jobs go to ex-baseball players.”

But, that’s rarely what’s going on. What usually happens with my clients who get stuck here is that they have been doing something to make money and pay the bills and something that often fits quite neatly into what they consider themselves “qualified” to do but it’s not what they REALLY want to do. When I ask them what they really want to do they immediately light up with the idea but then come up with excuses as to why they can’t do that. These excuses are mostly part of the “who am I do this” variety.

When this comes up I often share a question I get from people about my decision to make numerology the focus of my work, becuase to some it seemed rather sudden.

My deal is to be totally up front about it so I don’t pretend that I have been a business numerologist by profession for years. In fact, it was only in 2008 that I decided to make it a focal point in my work. Having said that my transition from “amateur” to professional numerologist can be likened to that of an athlete who has been training her whole life and then finally gets picked up by a sponsor/team and she makes it her profession. She didn’t decide one day to be a professional tennis player after having sat on the couch for 20 years. All the foundations, work, and effort had been laid for years and years already. The same was true for me. Numerology was something I had been studying and using for over a decade. I didn’t just pick up a book one fine day and decide I was an expert. When I decided to be a coach it was only after years of being an educator, a counselor and completing 2 graduate degrees plus extensive training in the field.

The truth is you have more credibility factors than you know and you can’t wait to be “considered” the expert, make 6 figures doing it or have a full client list to OWN it.

So, if there’s something you really want to do in your business but have been afraid to step into fully because you keep asking the “who am I to do this” question, then take out a piece of paper and write down all of your credibility factors, the obvious ones and not so obvious ones. Sure, there may a few pieces you could add to fill in the gaps but so what. Fill the gaps and then do what you want to do and stop making excuses as to why you can’t. Reduce the temptation to minimize your skills, abilities and credibility and don’t try to find some external validation that you can do what you want – maybe another degree, a certification, you name it. When you probably already have everything you need to do what you want.

The second piece of this is playing down your personality. This is a simple one. Most of my clients are coaches, teachers, speakers, authors, etc. so who they are and what they do are inextricably linked. But, a lot of them who are not experiencing the success they want are playing out 2 different personas. One is the one they show to their market, customers and clients and the other is who they are in their real life. When there is a big gap between these two, the incongruency will produce lackluster results. If you want to be really successful, the best thing you can do is be yourself, market in a way that feels fun and authentic for you, write emails and copy as though you were writing to your best friend and create programs and services that bring you much money AND much joy.

Lying about who you are can be exhausting. I know because when I first started out I thought I had to hide the real me. I thought I had to watch my language, change my dress, write all stuffy and perfect and be this perfectly together writer and coach. BORING. That wasn’t me at all. I’m informal, I’m kind of a spaz, I’d rather be in running shoes, I’m unconventional, I hate big events, I hate pretenses, I’m accessible, I’d rather ride a bike than a Mercedes, I’m not easily impressed by money, I never get starstruck,  I’ve never needed a guru, I am super casual and having fun is a priority for me. That’s me for better or worse and that comes out in my marketing and in all of my work with clients.

So who are you? Are you showing us? Are you making it all so much easier by just owning those peices of you that make you unique and brilliant at what you do?

My challenge is for you is to dress it up and if you’re telling yourself you can’t do something, think again. You can do whatever you want and you don’t need anyone to tell you so but yourself.