Fear runs your life disguised as logic. You call it hesitation. You explain it away. But you’re running from something. Judgment, exposure, or being wrong. You freeze before big decisions. You make excuses when opportunity knocks. What if confronting these hidden fears could transform your business faster than any strategy or tactic ever could?
These prompts pull out the real fears holding you back so you can look them in the eye. Copy, paste and edit the square brackets in ChatGPT, and keep the same chat window open so the context carries through.
Find your real fears with ChatGPT: what’s holding you back
Face what you’re pretending not to know
You already have the answer. Deep down, you know exactly what’s stopping you. Maybe it’s an uncomfortable truth about your business model or a conversation you’re avoiding. The cost of ignoring it grows every day. But your success depends on facing what you’re pretending not to see. You need to move forward with your eyes wide open.
“Based on what you know about me and my business from our conversations, what might I be pretending not to know? Look for patterns in my questions, concerns, or areas where I seem to circle back repeatedly. Identify three specific blind spots or uncomfortable truths I might be avoiding. For each one, explain why facing this reality would benefit me and what the cost of continued avoidance might be. Ask for more detail if required.”
Examine your invisible audience
Everyone performs for someone. You make choices based on what you think others expect, even when no one’s watching. This invisible audience shapes your business decisions more than you realize. Sometimes it’s past critics. Sometimes it’s imaginary judges. Either way, their opinions shouldn’t run your life. Freedom comes when you build for yourself, not for the crowd.
“Based on our previous conversations, analyze whose judgment or opinions might be influencing my decisions and holding me back. Identify three specific ‘invisible audiences’ I seem concerned about pleasing or avoiding criticism from. For each one, suggest what I might do differently if I wasn’t concerned about their judgment. Then, help me create three power statements I can use when I notice myself making decisions based on others’ expectations rather than my own values. Ask for more detail if required.”
Calculate the real cost of avoidance
Playing safe feels comfortable but costs more than you think. That business pivot you’re putting off. The difficult client conversation you’re avoiding. The process you know needs changing. Each day of delay has a price tag. When you add it up, inaction often costs more than action. Confront it head on. Understand the price you’re paying by not taking action. Stop making excuses and start making progress.
“Based on what you know about my business challenges and goals, help me calculate the real cost of avoiding the difficult actions I know I should take. First, identify three important actions I seem hesitant about based on our previous conversations. For each one, calculate: 1) The weekly financial cost of inaction, 2) The monthly opportunity cost, 3) The emotional and reputation cost over one year. Present the total cost for each avoided action and ask which one I’d like to address first. Ask for more detail if required.”
Uncover your limiting stories
The stories you tell yourself create your reality. “I’m not good with numbers.” “I can’t sell.” “I’m not ready yet.” These narratives feel like protection but actually lock you in place. When I built my social media agency to run without me, I had to rewrite the story that I needed to be involved in every client decision. You can change any narrative that’s keeping you small. Start with spotting the lies you’ve been telling yourself.
“Based on our conversations, identify three limiting stories I seem to be telling myself about my abilities, potential, or circumstances. For each story, provide: 1) Evidence from my past successes that contradicts this limiting belief, 2) A more empowering alternative narrative I could adopt, and 3) One immediate action I could take that would begin to rewrite this story. Present these in a clear, direct format that challenges me to see the gap between my self-perception and reality. Ask for more detail if required.”
Explore your fear of success
Failure isn’t the only thing that scares you. Success brings change, attention, and responsibility. It means stepping into a bigger version of yourself. The fear of what might happen if everything goes right can be more paralyzing than the fear of what might go wrong. Recognizing this counter-intuitive barrier might be your biggest breakthrough.
“Based on what you know about my personality and goals, help me explore what might scare me about actually succeeding. First, describe three specific ways my life would change if I achieved everything I’m working toward. For each scenario, identify: 1) What new responsibilities or expectations this success would create, 2) What identity shifts I would need to make, and 3) What relationships might be challenged by this new reality. Present this analysis in a way that helps me see how fear of success might be influencing my current actions. Ask for more detail if required.”
Hidden fears control your decisions until you face them
When you name the fear, it shrinks. When you ignore it, it runs the show. Every business decision is filtered through what you’re afraid might happen. Face what you’re avoiding. Notice who you’re performing for. Calculate the cost of inaction. Question the stories holding you back. And consider what scares you about success. Naming these fears strips them of power. You can’t outrun what you refuse to see.
The person you become by facing your fears is infinitely more powerful than the one who hides from them.
Get all my best ChatGPT content prompts.
Read the full article here
