How to Identify Hidden Barriers

THE PROBLEM

You're praised, included, "such a team player" but the next level never quite materializes and you get a word salad about "budget," "timing" and "fit."

THE CHEAT CODE

Stop asking, "What's wrong with me?"
Start asking, "What game is this? Who's calling the shots, and what rules are in play?"

Hidden barriers are rarely personal—they're political. Once you see the patterns, you can stop blaming yourself and start moving differently according to the pieces on the board.

⚡ WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW

Use the box below to run a Barriers Audit:

List three times in the last year you were told "not yet," "not the right fit," or got vague feedback instead of clear opportunity.
For each one, ask: Was this about performance, or politics, or pattern?
Write one move you could make that changes your position in the game -- a new ally, a new room, a new ask.

THE TRAP

Don't mistake a locked door for your ceiling.

YOUR SHADOW WORK

Write your reflections in the box below.

Where did you learn that "working hard" was the whole game?
What milestone did you expect to hit by now -- and who told you the timeline?
Whose definition of "ready" are you quietly obeying?

THE STRATEGIC TRUTH

Systems protect what they recognize.

If you don't look, sound, or move like the default template, the bar is higher and the path is blurrier.

Your job isn't to beg for entry -- it's to understand the maze so you can stop walking into rigged walls.

Write your script

Stop asking, "What's wrong with me?" Start asking, "What game is this, and what rules are in play?" Hidden barriers are rarely personal -- they're political. Once you see the patterns, you can stop blaming yourself and start moving differently.

EXAMPLE:

"I'd like specific examples of what 'ready' looks like at the next level, so I can decide how and where I want to grow."

★

LEVEL 2 COMPLETE

You crushed it.

All Level 2: Get Promoted cheat codes unlocked.

← Back to Level Go to Level 3 →

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