Evan Carmichael explains how the stories we tell ourselves keep us stuck. His barber Romano says he's too old to ride a Vespa again; Carmichael once thought he was too young to sell to older clients. Both were just stories. Others often see your potential before you do.
Chapters
Watch out for your limiting personal beliefs because the story that you're telling yourself is holding you back. It's keeping you as being the person that you are instead of letting you become the person that you can be. Last week I had to go get a haircut. I was getting a little shaggy up here and I thought, I got to do some videos, I want to look good, I need my new haircut. So I called up Romano, who's my barber, been my barber for maybe 5 years. Italian guy in his 50s, 60s, big mustache. And I decided I'd go see him and take my Vespa out. Gorgeous sunny day here in Toronto, perfect day for a ride. I hop on, pull up in front of his store, he sees me on the Vespa and he comes out. And he says, "I used to ride a Vespa in Italy." And you can tell by looking into his eyes that he really missed those days. I said, Romano, why don't you just get one? You know, it's a gorgeous summer. Go out and buy one for yourself. And he said, no, I'm too old. I'm too old to do it. And reminded me of when I was starting my first business. I was 19 and I was selling to guys who were 2 to 3 times my age, and I told myself I'm too young, should do something else. And I eventually got over that fear and And I started selling and realized it was just in my head. These guys didn't care about my age. And so I told Romano, Romano, this is just in your head. You're not too old to get on a Vespa and putt around. It's not, it's not, you know, gonna injure yourself. You could do it. You're still an able-bodied guy. You can go out and ride it. And I told him, why don't you take mine for a spin? Just take it around the block. Now, as soon as I said that, I panicked a little inside because I didn't want him to drop my bike. But he said no. He said not now. And I saw something in Romano that he didn't see in himself. I knew he could do it, but he didn't think he can. And the same thing applies to all of us. It applies to you. Other people see things in you that you don't see in yourself. They see greatness that you can't see because you're telling yourself a story that's chock-full of limiting personal beliefs. Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right. And the only thing holding you back is the story you keep telling yourself. So change your story. Good luck.
