What are the most common barriers that stand in the way of achieving personal growth? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.

Many barriers that stand in the way of personal growth can feel debilitating. Some people have more obstacles blocking their growth than others. I have found that most people are aware they have barriers but don’t know what to do to remove them from their life. Not being able to remove barriers can lead you to feel helpless and exhausted.

You have to recognize common barriers that may show up in your life before you can overcome them. Don’t get caught up in the questions that start with “Why.” For example, “Why am I struggling with this?” You may never get an answer to your “why” questions, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to remove the barriers.

Fear is the most common barrier that keeps people from personal growth. Whether it’s fear of failure or fear of success, its goal is to keep you feeling stuck. When you feel stuck and don’t know what to do, then it’s easy to give up. Fear and worry have a symbiotic relationship, requiring one another to grow in strength. The more you worry, the more you experience fear, and the more you are fearful, the more worry you will encounter.

Lack of motivation is a common barrier because many people think that you have to feel motivated all of the time. This isn’t true, and it would be impossible to experience motivation 24/7. So when motivation decreases, it’s easy not to accomplish a task, which then leads to another day passing, then a week, then it’s easy to give up. This is when the self-judgment starts.

Negative self-talk is another common barrier because how you talk to yourself will determine if you can achieve personal growth or if you give up on it. It can be hard to make positive changes in your life if you are always telling yourself that you aren’t good enough, you can’t achieve anything, and that you aren’t worth it.

Once you realize what barrier is keeping you stuck, you can move forward to overcome them. Look at what resources you have to help you through this part.

Can you reach out to a counselor or therapist to guide you? Do you have a good friend who can support you through this journey? Have you explored online resources? You don’t have to continue to experience these barriers. Take action to remove them and get on with your life.

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