'The Mountain is You' by Brianna Wiest (Book Summary) |

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Self sabotage is an underdiscussed topic in the world of personal growth and productivity.

We don’t talk about it enough, and we don’t do enough to fix it.

While it may be the single most important thing preventing most people in our society from performing at their best (including you)

Your biggest obstacle might be your own self limiting beliefs.

"The Mountain Is You" by Brianna Wiest focuses on self-sabotage and how to overcome it. The book explores the concept that the obstacles we face in life (the "mountains") are often created by ourselves through our own patterns, behaviors, and limiting beliefs.

Top lessons, insights and actionable ideas from the book -

Overcoming Self-Sabotage

One of the central themes of the book is identifying and eliminating self-sabotaging behaviors that prevent personal growth. Self-sabotage happens when unconscious fears and limiting beliefs hold us back from achieving our goals.

How to fix Self Sabotaging behavior -

Identify Subconscious Commitments: If you always procrastinate on starting a business, ask yourself what fears or subconscious beliefs are stopping you. Maybe you fear failure or judgment. Acknowledge these fears and reframe them as challenges to overcome.

Recognize Self-Sabotaging Behaviors: Keep a journal of moments when you act against your goals. For example, if you're trying to lose weight but keep eating junk food, analyze why you do it—stress, boredom, or habit?

Improve Mental & Emotional Skills: If fear of failure stops you from applying for jobs, practice confidence-building exercises like visualization and affirmations.

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Embracing Change & Growth

The book emphasizes that change is inevitable and resisting it only makes life harder.

Instead of fearing change, we should embrace it as a necessary part of personal evolution.

How to embrace growth:

Get Comfortable with Radical Changes:

If you're unhappy in your job but afraid of quitting, start by researching new opportunities and updating your resume. Taking small steps makes big changes less overwhelming.

Seek Risky Opportunities:

Instead of waiting for the "perfect moment" to start a project, take small risks—apply for that job, start that blog, or launch that business idea.

Use Micro-Shifts:

If you want to wake up earlier, don’t suddenly set your alarm two hours earlier. Start by waking up 10 minutes earlier each day until it becomes a habit.

Letting Go of the Past & Releasing Trauma

Our past experiences, traumas, and limiting beliefs often hold us back.

The book suggests that true growth requires us to process and release these emotional burdens.

How to let go of the past:

Revisit & Reframe Past Painful Experiences:

If you had a traumatic experience that made you afraid of relationships, imagine talking to your younger self and offering comfort. This helps heal emotional wounds.

Write to Your Future Self:

If you're feeling lost, sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, and imagine your future self giving you advice. Then write down what they would say.

Practice Emotional Release Techniques:

If you feel burdened by past regrets, try meditation, deep breathing, or even therapy to process and let go of those emotions.

Aligning Actions with Core Desires

To live a fulfilling life, we must align our daily actions with our true desires and values.

How to find alignment:

Write Down What Makes You Unhappy:

If you're constantly stressed at work, write down what specifically causes that stress. Is it the workload, the environment, or the lack of passion?

Ask Yourself If Your Actions Serve Your Core Needs:

Before making a decision, ask, "Does this serve my long-term goals?" If not, reconsider your choices.

Follow Your Gut:

If you feel uneasy about a relationship or job, listen to your instincts. Fear and intuition are different—intuition is a deep knowing, while fear is often irrational.

The Mountain is You Summaries

Plenty of summaries of the book available on YouTube, if you’re more interested in watching than reading -

Do let me know what you think of the book and the idea of self sabotage and limiting beliefs.

That’s it for today.

See you next week 👋

Cheers,

Ayush & Aditi