Frustrated at your lack of “discipline”? Ever find yourself breaking the promises you’ve made to do important things like making prospecting calls, reaching out to past clients, going to a networking event, writing a blog, working out at the gym, or making time for self-care?
So why do you fail to do these things? Is it that you are truly lacking in control or is something else going on?
The real culprit: self-sabotage! What actually happens is a part of you sabotages your best-laid plans because getting into action around your goals will cause you to enter a no-go zone.
What’s a no-go zone you might wonder? It’s a place where you are not consciously or unconsciously willing to go because it triggers discomfort due to deeply ingrained limiting patterns and behaviors. Basically, a part of you is trying to keep you safe by not engaging in activities that lie in the no-go zone.
Thus, no amount of discipline will help you do activities that lie in this no-go zone. The solution is to become aware of your no-go zone and then shift its underlying patterns. The best way to find your no-go zone is with the help of the Enneagram.
The Enneagram is an ancient system that helps us see our core motivations, fears, desires, and no-zones. “Ennea” means nine in Greek, and the word “gram” refers to a diagram or model. The Enneagram brings to light all that unconsciously impacts our behavior. What makes the Enneagram different from more traditional personality typing tools is that it focuses on the why—what drives the behavior—instead of the outward behavior.
There are nine Enneagram types and each type has its own set of no-go zones, reflective of its unique fears and vulnerabilities. It is often helpful to consult with an Enneagram coach to get support determining your Enneagram type!
For example:
Type One: The Perfectionist, often avoids acknowledging their own anger and imperfections, fearing that it will lead to a loss of control or moral failure.
Type Two: The Helper, may shy away from confronting their own needs and desires, prioritizing the needs of others at the expense of their own well-being.
Type Three: The Achiever, might avoid acknowledging feelings of failure or inadequacy, striving relentlessly for success and validation.
Type Four: The Individualist, may resist accepting feelings of ordinariness or mediocrity, longing instead for a sense of uniqueness and significance.
Type Five: The Investigator, may retreat from emotional engagement and intimacy, preferring to maintain a sense of intellectual detachment.
Type Six: The Loyalist, may avoid confronting their own doubts and insecurities, seeking safety and reassurance in external sources of authority.
Type Seven: The Enthusiast, may evade feelings of pain or discomfort, constantly seeking new experiences and distractions to avoid facing inner turmoil.
Type Eight: The Challenger, may suppress feelings of vulnerability or weakness, striving to maintain a facade of strength and control.
Type Nine: The Peacemaker, may avoid conflict and confrontation at all costs, often neglecting their own needs and desires in favor of maintaining harmony.
Do you recognize yourself in any of the above types and no-go zones?
Identifying and confronting these no-go zones is essential to creating more success in your life and business.
So how do you navigate these no-go zones effectively instead of avoiding them?
- Self-awareness: Get clarity on your Enneagram type and its corresponding no-go zone. I can help you do this with my Enneagram typing sessions.
- Self-reflection: Take the time to reflect on your own patterns of behavior and the areas of your life that you instinctively avoid or deny. I recommend doing daily journaling to get more clarity on how these no-go zones run your life.
- Belief Change Work: What will make the biggest difference is to work on transforming the underlying beliefs that hold your no-go zone in place. Shift the underlying limiting beliefs of your Enneagram type with Enneagram Empowerment Sessions. These sessions help you clear and reprogram the core memories that are the underpinnings of your limiting beliefs and no-go zones and support you in embracing empowered beliefs and behaviors.
- Take Steps Into Your No-go Zone: Once you have done some belief change work, it’s time to step outside of your comfort zones and face your no-go zones. The best way to do this is to take a few baby steps towards that which you normally avoid. With your new empowered beliefs in place, you may be surprised at the ease with which you navigate this new territory. That said, as you begin walking in this new territory, more limiting beliefs may arise that could hold you back. If this arises, reach out for support. A good advisor or coach can be an invaluable asset as you explore your no-go zones.
Discovering your no-go zone and transforming the beliefs that hold this in place is key to stepping more fully into your power and creating more success in your life, business, and relationships. This journey of self-discovery is well worth the discomfort you may encounter along the way. More freedom, success, and prosperity are waiting for you outside of your no-go zone!
Sign up here for a free chat with an experienced Enneagram coach to learn more about your Enneagram type!
