QUOTE: "Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." —Marianne Williamson

During a Mastermind session last week, I got clear on the ONE obstacle standing between me and doubling my business next year. Contrary to what I originally thought, it's not a lack of knowledge, of what to do next or a marketing challenge. I actually know exactly what to do to double my business. For me, it's a question of leveraging my time, my marketing and my resources so that I can help many, many more solo-preneurs get more clients, create systems for marketing, clean up their mindset and give them the tools and the permission to succeed. That's my purpose and it's fun for me.

What's actually been holding me back is something much more internal. It's the deeply ingrained fear that the bigger I get, meaning the bigger my business gets, the more I will make myself a target for criticism and "pot shots". Here's why:

For years, I've witnessed women entrepreneurs truly succeed and watched as others began to pick them apart, to criticize them and sometimes trash them, even when they didn't know them. Have you noticed that too? Ironically enough, it's usually other women doing the criticizing (instead of the supporting), and I'm sad to say, I've partaken in that sometimes too, even when I didn't know the person. I regret it, especially as I'm poised to be in the very same position sometime soon.