Have you been contemplating asking for a raise at work but can’t seem to muster the courage? Or maybe you’re interested in starting a side project but feel clueless on where to start?

You might be experiencing guilt, frustration, and annoyance with yourself for not executing your plans, blaming reasons like a shortage of time or money for your lack of progress.

However, achieving your goals might just depend on your mindset, according to leading mindset and accountability coach Renee Houtstra from Edmonton, Canada. She assists entrepreneurs managing six and seven-figure businesses in overcoming restrictive beliefs and mental habits.

Thankfully, Houtstra, 39, has revealed how simply shifting your mindset can transform your career exclusively with the Daily Mail.

She broke down the common mental excuses that hold people back in the work place – and explained how to overcome them.

According to Houtstra, the top reason people don’t get ahead in the work place is because they’re scared of failure.

‘Failure is subjective and means so many different things to different people,’ she said.

‘Being able to identify what it is about the failure that is preventing you from moving forward will be key to solving this problem.’

Houtstra pointed out that if you’re postponing asking for a promotion or launching a side hustle until you feel prepared, you might end up waiting indefinitely since no one truly feels completely ready to take a significant leap.

For those delaying action due to feeling pressed for time, Houtstra remarked, ‘Time isn’t your issue—your priorities and aspirations are.’

‘Every “I can’t” really means “It’s not important enough to me.” Understand that if you really wanted to do it you would find time.’

She explained that conflict should not be avoided in the work place, in fact, it’s vital to ensure you don’t build up any resentment.

‘Every “it’s fine” when it’s not, every “yes” when you meant “no” means obligation and resentment and when we work out of those scarcity mindsets you will reach burnout so much faster,’ she said.

‘You will never achieve the level of freedom you are looking for as an entrepreneur if you are always resentful towards the tasks you need to do.’

Houtstra revealed that another common excuse that stops people from moving forward at work is that they’re worried they might upset people.

‘People-pleasing isn’t kindness, it’s self-sabotage,’ she stressed.

‘Following through with your goals and desires and decisions that are right for you even if others get upset about it is the ultimate place to be.’

While she noted that ‘loyalty, perfectionism and integrity are strengths,’ they could ultimately ‘stop you from delegating or taking risks.’

‘[These] core values [could] be your biggest sabotage,’ she continued. 

‘If you are loyal you may be staying loyal to the wrong people struggling to let them go, or you may be holding on to a program that is no longer serving you because you are too loyal to it and the people who have taken the program before.

‘There needs to be a balance with your values and business just like some situations require equality and others require inclusivity.’  

Houtstra also pointed out that while ‘busywork’ may ‘feel productive,’ it’s often just ‘another form of procrastination.’

In addition, the expert said it’s important to be yourself in the work place in order to form real ‘connections.’ 

‘Wearing a mask at work feels professional, but it kills connection. If people never meet the real you, they won’t remember you and connection is what actually gets you opportunities,’ she said.

‘There is no personal time and business time, there is just time. How you spend that time can be strategic just like how you view your professional self versus your everyday self.

‘There is no one or the other, there is just you… if your social media and business presence is losing your personality because of professionalism then you will lose opportunities as well.’