Learned Helplessness in Business: What It Is and How to Overcome It
Is Learned Helplessness Unknowingly Sabotaging You in Business?
Let’s be real—sometimes we believe we can’t do something in our business, but we don’t even realize we’re sabotaging ourselves. It’s sneaky because we think these beliefs are true! Have you ever caught yourself saying, “I’m no good at [insert thing here]” or found yourself procrastinating when it comes to certain tasks?
That’s learned helplessness showing up, and it can hold us back from the success we’re after without us even noticing.
What Is Learned Helplessness and How Does It Show Up in Business?
Learned helplessness happens when we’ve unconsciously taught ourselves to give up before we’ve even tried. We’ve had experiences in the past that made us feel like no matter what we do, the outcome won’t change—so we stop trying. It can show up in business in sneaky ways, like:
- Constantly procrastinating on tasks that matter
- Telling ourselves “I’m just not good at sales,” “I can’t do marketing,” or “I’m not cut out for this”
- Avoiding decisions because we’re afraid of getting it wrong
- Seeking external validation before moving forward
- Staying in our comfort zone, even when we know growth happens outside of it
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
How Can We Start Noticing Learned Helplessness?
The first step to breaking free from learned helplessness is recognizing it when it shows up. That’s where self-awareness comes in. In this episode, I’ll help you reflect on your patterns and tune into where these blocks might be hiding.
Here’s a simple reflection you can do:
- Take a moment to think about the things in your business you avoid or procrastinate on.
- Now ask yourself, Why do I believe I can’t do that?
- Notice if any old stories or beliefs pop up—like, “I’m no good at this” or “I’ve tried before, and it didn’t work.”
Tools to Break Free from Learned Helplessness
Now that you’ve spotted it, let’s talk about how to move out of it. It’s time to rewrite those old stories and take control of your business again. Here are a few tools to help you get started:
- Chunk it down: Take overwhelming tasks and break them into smaller, manageable steps. Celebrate every step you complete to build momentum.
- Self-regulation: When you’re feeling stuck, try a grounding practice like meditation, deep breathing, or going for a walk to reset your mind.
- Growth mindset: Remind yourself that mistakes are part of learning. Instead of seeing setbacks as failures, view them as opportunities to grow.
Tools to Break Free from Learned Helplessness
I talk about all this and more in this episode of Inner Business. I even show you some cool tech tools you can use to do some of this work for you… (see the links below)
If you’re feeling like you’ve been holding yourself back in your business, don’t worry—you’re not alone. The first step is noticing, and you’ve already done that. Now it’s time to move forward with the tools and mindset to break free from learned helplessness.
Listen to the full episode for more insights, and if you’re ready for some support, I’d love to chat. You don’t have to do this alone!
🎧 In this episode you will hear...
00:00– What is Learned Helplessness? Question: Could this invisible mindset be holding you back in business?
02:15– Why Knowledge Isn’t Enough Question: Have you been learning non-stop but still feel stuck?
03:25– My Personal Story of Learned Helplessness Question: Want to hear how I broke free from my own business blocks?
06:37– Are You Afraid of Making Mistakes? Question: Is fear of failure keeping you from making progress?
08:07– Identifying Your Patterns of Learned Helplessness Question: What habits might be keeping you stuck without you realizing it?
10:56– Common Excuses Entrepreneurs Use Question: Do any of these sound familiar in your business life?
12:10– Reflection Exercise: Where Are You Stuck? Question: Ready to uncover the real blocks in your business?
16:02– How to Notice Learned Helplessness in Daily Actions Question: Are you repeating the same mistakes without knowing why?
17:57– 3 Steps to Overcome Learned Helplessness Question: Want 3 easy ways to break free and start making progress?
24:50– Taking Action: Say Goodbye to Being Stuck Question: What’s the first step you’ll take to reclaim your business success?
26:56– Final Thoughts and Call to Action Question: Are you ready to stop feeling stuck and start thriving?
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Break Free from Learned Helplessness
Mentioned in this episode...
- 🤗Book a Free Discovery Call: selenawoodward.com/book
- 🧘♂️Free Meditation: selenawoodward.com/meditation
- 👺Goblin Tools (for breaking down tasks): https://goblin.tools
- 012: Igniting Your Inner Light for Business Success with Sue Giacobbe
- Boost Your Business by Embracing Mistakes
- 002: Lead Yourself: The Key to Grounded Decision Making in Business
Recommended Resources
- 🧑🏭 Align Your Business with Purpose:Work with Adelaide Business Coach Selena Woodward to grow your business authentically. Explore strategies to align your business with your true purpose and achieve success on your terms.
- Visit: Free Marketing Messaging Assessment – How clear is your marketing message? Complete the quiz and get some clear insights from Selena.
- Marketing Magic – Work with me to align your message and attract more ideal customers
- Free Business Assessment – Curious about how well your business is flying? This free assessment will give you some unique insights that we can discuss.
- Sign up for Business Made Simple