I was recently talking to my husband about how we often create certain ways of living for good reasons, but over time, they can end up being harmful.
We build walls around ourselves for survival when we need them, professionally and personally. What we often forget to do is pull them down when they no longer serve as protection.
Sometimes what we create to protect us, can harm us in the long run.
When this happens what we create is our own prison. Then we complain about being trapped.
Absolutely crazy, right? Being human is so complicated sometimes. It’s exhausting.
I have done this in many ways over the years and it’s an interesting pattern that I think most of us fall into. Can you recognise when you might have done this?
These walls start as safety barriers but can evolve into cages that restrict growth, connection, and progress. The challenge is to recognise when they’re no longer serving their purpose.
Personally, for me, this included extreme shyness when I was younger which protected me from having to interact directly and allowed me to observe people in-depth. In the long run, it made me feel very isolated and unable to communicate effectively. It took me a long time to break this wall down!
I was once attacked whilst walking home when I was 19. Afterwards I greatly feared the night on my own – in some ways, I always will – but this often meant I restricted what I could and couldn’t do. It protected me from the re-occurrence of the attack but created a freedom barrier too. A fear that I had nurtured as a young lady, was suddenly holding me back as a grown adult.
My daughter asked me the other day ‘are you not worried your new marriage will end like yours and Daddy’s” Wow. Right at the centre of my heart that one.
It feels entirely different but am I worried? Yes, of course. I don’t KNOW what will happen, but should I restrict my capacity for love and joy through fear of it going wrong? Absolutely not. This is how we let our fears and our methods protect ourselves from them and rule our lives.
If a ‘wall’ still serves you, then, by all means, keep it. Not running your tongue over a knife blade will always be a good one to keep – but if an action or thought process that once protected you stops serving you, let it go.
For yourself, please, let it go.
In business this can show up in many ways too:
- Resistance to Change. You’re a leader who once thrived using a particular management style and is resistant to changing it even as your company grows and evolves. The initial “wall” (rigid adherence to what worked) served to stabilise the company in its early days, but it now limits adaptability and innovation.
- Over-Cautious Decision-Making. An entrepreneur who suffered from a failed business venture may become overly cautious and avoid taking risks. The protective wall of avoiding further loss keeps them safe but also prevents the business from growing and exploring new opportunities.
This is also applicable to your branding in a huge way.
An organisation might establish a rigid brand identity early on, based on a specific image or messaging that helped them stand out in their market. For instance, a tech startup might brand itself as “disruptive” and “innovative,” catering exclusively to early adopters with edgy, bold marketing. This branding helps the company carve out a niche and attract attention in a competitive space.
However, as the company grows and the market evolves, the rigid adherence to this original branding can become a limitation. The company may start expanding its product offerings or reaching out to more mainstream customers, but the outdated branding creates a disconnect with its new audience. Sticking to the old identity might prevent them from resonating with a wider customer base and hinder long-term growth.
In this case, the “wall” of the original branding, which initially provided stability and a clear market position, becomes a self-imposed cage.
It’s crucial to recognise when to evolve your brand to remain relevant and connect with new opportunities, without losing your core values. It highlights the importance of knowing when to adapt and let go of branding strategies that no longer serve the business in order to achieve sustainable growth.
Are your walls still serving you? What doorways should you open and walk through?
What’s holding you back?
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