The Lies We Tell Our Children (And Ourselves)

“We are kept from our goal not by obstacles but by a clear path to a lesser goal.” — Robert Brault

A few years ago, I drove to visit my son at summer camp. He was 16.

We found a quiet spot at a picnic table, and in between bites of lunch, the conversation turned to his future.

He paused, looked at me, and said quietly:

"Dad, if I didn’t know how hard it is to make a living in the music industry, that’s all I would want to do."

I nodded like a practical father. Good kid. Smart. Realistic.

But on the two-hour drive home, something began to gnaw at me.

My son had just shared his deepest dream—and I said NOTHING to encourage it.

In that moment, I reinforced the very belief that was already holding him back. I had failed him.

Worse, I failed him by giving him advice I thought was great. I thought I was using my lived experience when, in truth, I was passing down my lived limiting beliefs.

That night, I sent him a message to attempt to correct my parenting blunder. In essence, it read:

“Nobody should give up on their dreams at 16. Too many do, and then live the rest of their lives with the persistent pain of regret. You HAVE TO follow your passion and see where it goes. I’ll support you 200%.”

The Lies We Tell About Success

We say things like:

“It’s hard to make a living as a musician.”
“You can’t make real money as a teacher.”
“There’s a ceiling in my industry.”
“I don’t have the abilities to be a manager, leader, VP or CEO.”

We say these things so often, we stop questioning them.

But these aren’t laws of physics. They’re limiting beliefs dressed up as wisdom.

And the most dangerous part?

We pass them down to our kids.

The Million-Dollar Guitarist (That Nobody Knows)

Let’s say you’re not aiming to be the next rock star. Still—what would a $3M/year guitar career look like?

• Teaching 10,000 students online at $20/month = $2.4M/year

• Licensing a breakthrough teaching method

• Designing signature guitars with major brands

• Creating software tools for learning

• Composing for ads, games, or film

• Growing a YouTube channel to monetize reach

None of this requires fame.
It just requires unlimiting the way we think about what’s possible.

The Same Thing Is Happening Inside Your Business

Your people are saying things like:

“We can only grow 10% in this market.”
“That process can’t be improved.”
“This role is the highest I’ll ever go here.”
“Our team just isn’t capable of more.”

And maybe, quietly, so are you.

“This is probably as far as I can take this business.”

These aren’t facts. They’re choices.

And most of them are inherited from what “everyone knows.”

3 Stories That Prove the Limits Aren’t Real

The Teacher Who Changed the World
Sal Khan started making math videos for his cousins. People said, “You can’t make money teaching.”
Today: 100M+ students, $140M+ in impact, and a whole new way to learn.

The Lawyer Who Rewrote the Rules
Told she had to follow the traditional track, Sarah Glynn launched a virtual firm. No offices. Flat fees.
Today: $30M practice and a whole new model for how law firms operate.

The Manufacturer Who Said “Screw It” to Industry Norms
John was told his U.S.-based factory had maxed out at $8M.
He redesigned operations, invested in talent, and built a factory worth visiting.
Today: $42M in revenue, all onshore, with higher margins than his competitors.

None of these people were special. They were just unwilling to accept the “truths” of their industries.

How to Unlimit Yourself (and Your Team)

Step 1: Hunt for Limiting Beliefs
Write down every “that’s just how it is” belief you’ve heard lately. Then ask:

“Who says? Based on what? What if the opposite were true?”

Step 2: Look for Multipliers
Stop thinking in 10% gains. Ask instead:

“What would 10X growth take?”
“What would create exponential—not incremental—change?”

Step 3: Run Impossible Experiments
Pick one “impossible” idea.
Design a low-risk test.
Prove yourself wrong (in the best way).

The Moment That Changed Everything

In September, my son is off to a prestigious music college. He’s playing guitar, producing, and performing.

More importantly, he never has to ask himself, "What if I had tried?"

And that’s the real tragedy—not failing, but never trying.

So I’ll Ask You:

What dream have you silenced because of what “everyone knows”?
What ceiling have you quietly accepted in your business?
What belief do you need to unlearn to create what’s truly possible?

Because limits are a choice.
And sometimes the bravest thing you can do is believe—again.

—Howard