Breaking Free from the Patterns That Keep Entrepreneurs Stuck: A Human Design Approach
How understanding your energetic blueprint can transform your business and break the cycles holding you back
Starting a business is one of the most challenging yet rewarding journeys you can embark on. As someone who has been in the entrepreneurial world for quite some time, I know firsthand just how bloody overwhelming it can feel. But here's what I've learned through years of experience, countless moments of doubt, and deep inner work: our mindset is the number one reason why so many people don't make it past the first year when setting up a business.
The statistics don't lie - most new businesses fail within their first year. But it's not always because of poor business models, lack of funding, or market conditions. More often than not, it's the invisible patterns, limiting beliefs, and self-sabotaging behaviours that keep us stuck in cycles of procrastination, scarcity thinking, and burnout.
As a 3-5 Mental Projector in Human Design, I've discovered that my purpose is to guide others through the experiences I've navigated myself. Every challenge I've faced, every pattern I've broken, and every breakthrough I've experienced has been preparation for helping other entrepreneurs create businesses that feel aligned, abundant, and sustainable.
Today, I want to share three huge patterns that I see keeping entrepreneurs stuck, along with practical strategies using Human Design principles and mindset work to break free from these cycles once and for all.
Pattern #1: The Procrastination Trap - When Fear of Failure Keeps You Small
Let's start with the big one - procrastination. This pattern was absolutely huge for me, and I see it showing up constantly with the entrepreneurs I work with.
The thing about procrastination is that it's rarely about being lazy or unmotivated. It's almost always rooted in fear. Looking back at my own journey, I can trace this pattern all the way back to school, where I would leave essays until the last possible moment. At the time, I thought it was just poor time management, but through years of mindset work, I've realised it was actually a protection mechanism.
The fear behind procrastination often sounds like this:
"What if I give this my absolute all and still fail?"
"What if I put myself out there and nobody cares?"
"What if I'm just not capable enough to make this work?"
When we're operating from this place of fear, procrastination becomes a way to protect our ego. If we only show up at 50% and things don't work out, we can tell ourselves it's because we didn't really try. But if we give 100% and still fail? That feels like evidence that we're just not good enough.
The Fear of Being Seen
In the online business world, this fear of failure often manifests as a fear of being seen. The thought of creating that Instagram reel, starting that podcast, or writing that blog post becomes overwhelming because it means putting yourself out there for potential judgment, criticism, or worst of all - complete silence.
As humans, we're wired to want acceptance from our tribe. This dates back thousands of years to when being cast out from the group could literally mean death. Our nervous system doesn't distinguish between physical danger and the perceived threat of online rejection, so it activates the same fight-or-flight response.
I remember spending hours creating content, posting it online, and then checking obsessively for likes, comments, or any form of validation. When the response wasn't what I hoped for, those limiting beliefs would come flooding in: "You may as well just pack it in now. Why bother showing up next week when you didn't get that validation you thought you were going to get?"
Breaking the Procrastination Pattern
The entrepreneurs you admire online, the ones with thousands of followers and thriving businesses? They all started exactly where you are now. They had to post that first piece of content to an audience of maybe 10 people. They had to have those awkward first client calls. They had to push through the discomfort of being seen before they were "ready."
The difference isn't that they were more talented, more confident, or had some special advantage. They simply learned to take action despite the fear, not because of the absence of fear.
Here's what has helped me overcome procrastination:
Nervous System Regulation: Learning techniques like breathwork, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), and meditation to help my body feel safe when taking scary action.
Reframing Failure: Instead of seeing potential failure as evidence of my inadequacy, I've learned to see it as valuable data that brings me closer to what works.
Daily Mindset Practice: Spending time each morning connecting with my why, processing any fears that come up, and choosing myself regardless of what my mind is telling me.
Working with My Human Design: Understanding that as a Projector, my strategy is to wait for recognition and invitation, then use my authority to decide if it's right for me. This has helped me trust my timing rather than forcing action from a place of desperation.
The key is moving from the mind into the body. When you feel that familiar procrastination creeping in, pause and ask yourself: "What am I really afraid of here? And what would it feel like to choose courage over comfort in this moment?"
Pattern #2: Scarcity Thinking - Saying Yes to Everything from Fear
The second major pattern I see keeping entrepreneurs stuck is saying yes to anything and everything because of the fear that work will dry up. This scarcity mindset shows up as taking on clients who drain you, accepting projects that don't light you up, or undercharging because you're afraid no one else will pay your rates.
I need to remind you of something important right now: there are literally 8 billion people in the world. If you are coming from a place of authenticity in your work, if you genuinely love what you do and you're not just copying someone else's business model because it makes money, the well is never going to run dry.
The Universe Doesn't Work on Scarcity
When we operate from scarcity, we're essentially tuned into a radio station of lack and limitation. Our vibrational frequency is like a radio station we're tuned into - if you're constantly focused on scarcity, that's the frequency you're broadcasting, and the universe responds by reflecting that energy back to you in the form of clients who don't value your work, projects that drain you, or simply a lack of opportunities altogether.
The entrepreneurs who seem to have an endless stream of ideal clients aren't just "lucky." They've learned to tune into the frequency of abundance by consistently saying yes to what lights them up and no to what doesn't align with their values and energy.
Using Human Design Strategy and Authority
This is where understanding your Human Design becomes absolutely game-changing. Each energy type has a specific strategy for making decisions and an authority for determining what's right for them. When you learn to work with these instead of against them, everything shifts.
For Projectors (like myself): Stop saying yes to invitations just because the recognition is there. I completely understand how this feels - we love recognition, we love being told we're amazing and asked for our advice. But saying yes to invitations that don't feel right in your body will lead to burnout and bitterness. Even worse is when we initiate work instead of waiting for the invitation because we're scared there won't be enough opportunities.
For Generators and Manifesting Generators: If it's not a "hell yes," it's a "no." Your sacral energy is designed to respond to what lights you up. When you say yes to projects that feel "meh," you're literally draining yourself of that beautiful generative energy. I can tell when my Generator friends are operating from a place of settling because they turn grey - that vibrant, magnetic energy they usually emit just isn't there.
For Reflectors: Your environment is everything. Working in spaces, with people, or on projects that don't feel right can seriously affect your mental health. Take your time with decisions - you work on a lunar cycle (about 28-29 days), so don't rush into commitments. If it's not a genuine yes after that reflection period, it's okay to say no.
For Manifestors: Don't accept situations that clip your wings or try to micromanage you. You're here to initiate and be that beautiful force of energy you came here to be. If you're constantly being told no or having your creative process controlled, it's going to ignite that anger and frustration that signals you're not in alignment.
Shifting from Scarcity to Abundance
The mindset work here involves consciously tuning into a different frequency. In my morning practice, I often close my eyes and ask myself: "If I was saying yes to clients and projects that genuinely excited me, how would I be feeling? What energy would I be generating?"
It feels completely different in the body - expansive, excited, grateful rather than tight, fearful, or resigned. By practicing being tuned into that abundant frequency each morning and then moving through your day from that place, you'll start to notice opportunities showing up that match that energy.
This might not happen overnight - limiting beliefs and scarcity patterns are often deeply ingrained from years of conditioning. But with consistent practice and patience with yourself, you'll start to see a shift.
Pattern #3: The Overworking Trap - When Your Worth Becomes What You Do
The third major pattern is overworking, and this one hits close to home because I spent many years in corporate settings where I took on enormous amounts of work without any increase in pay. This created a deeply ingrained belief that my worth was directly tied to how much I could do and how busy I appeared to be.
The Conditioning of Hustle Culture
We live in a culture that glorifies being busy. "Hustle harder," "rise and grind," "no days off" - these mantras have become so normalised that we've forgotten what it means to work in harmony with our natural energy cycles.
As a Projector, I had to seriously decondition from this belief because I'm literally designed to be here for what I can see, not how much I can do. When I tried to keep up with the always-on energy of Generator types or push through my natural need for rest, I would inevitably crash hard.
The pattern would look like this: I'd feel guilty about not doing "enough," so I'd take on everything at once to prove my worth, then burn out completely and need days or weeks to recover. This isn't sustainable for anyone, but it's especially detrimental for non-sacral beings (Projectors, Manifestors, and Reflectors) who don't have consistent access to generative energy.
How This Shows Up for Different Types
This overworking pattern isn't just a non-sacral issue - it can affect all energy types, but it manifests differently based on your Human Design centers:
Undefined Ego Center: You might base your worth on how much you accomplish, pushing through even when your body is screaming for rest.
Undefined Root Center: You could be amplifying the stress and pressure of those around you, feeling like everything needs to be done RIGHT NOW even when there's no real urgency.
Undefined Solar Plexus: You might take on other people's emotional energy and stress, then try to work your way out of those feelings instead of processing them.
Building a Sustainable Business Model
The beautiful thing about living in this era is that we have the opportunity to build businesses that work with our energy rather than against it. You don't have to choose between success and sustainability - you can have both.
For me, this has meant:
Batching content creation for days when I have more energy
Opening my books monthly rather than booking months in advance (protecting my Projector energy)
Building systems and processes that allow my business to run smoothly even when I need rest
Charging appropriately for my expertise so I don't need to take on volume to make ends meet
The goal isn't to work less for the sake of working less - it's to work in a way that feels aligned, sustainable, and allows you to show up as your best self for your clients and your life.
Moving Forward: Integration and Action
Understanding these patterns is just the first step. The real transformation happens when you begin to integrate this awareness into daily practice and take aligned action despite the old patterns trying to resurface.
Daily Practices for Pattern Breaking
Morning Mindset Practice: Start each day with some form of inner work - whether that's journaling, meditation, breathwork, or EFT. This isn't about being perfect; it's about creating space to process whatever's coming up so it doesn't sabotage your day.
Body-Based Decision Making: Learn to tune into your body's wisdom rather than making decisions purely from your mind. Your Human Design authority will show you exactly how to do this for your specific type.
Compassionate Self-Awareness: When you notice old patterns showing up, respond with curiosity rather than judgment. Ask yourself: "What is this pattern trying to protect me from? What does this part of me need to feel safe moving forward?"
Consistent Imperfect Action: Progress happens in the messy middle, not in the perfect moments. Take action even when you don't feel ready, even when it's not perfect, even when you're scared.
Remember: You're Not Broken
If you've recognised yourself in any of these patterns, please know that you're not broken or flawed. These are incredibly common responses to the vulnerability and uncertainty that comes with entrepreneurship. The fact that you're aware of them means you're already on the path to transformation.
Every successful entrepreneur has faced these same internal battles. The difference isn't that they don't experience fear, doubt, or overwhelm - it's that they've learned to move forward anyway. They've developed the tools and practices to support themselves through the inevitable challenges of building something meaningful.
Your business journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's because you aren't like anyone else. When you learn to work with your unique energetic blueprint, trust your individual timing, and honor your specific needs and gifts, you create space for the kind of success that feels genuinely fulfilling.
The patterns that have kept you stuck up until now? They've served their purpose in trying to keep you safe. But safety and growth rarely coexist. It's time to thank these patterns for their protection and then choose courage, alignment, and trust in your ability to create something beautiful.
Your future self - the one running the thriving, aligned business of your dreams - is counting on you to break these patterns now. She can't exist if the current version of you refuses to get uncomfortable, do the inner work, and take the aligned action that creates lasting change.
The time for playing small is over. Your gifts, your wisdom, and your unique way of serving the world are needed now more than ever. Trust yourself, trust the process, and trust that you have everything within you to create the business and life you're dreaming of.
Ready to dive deeper into your Human Design and break through the patterns keeping you stuck? I offer 1:1 consultations where we explore how your unique energetic blueprint can transform your business approach. My books open monthly to honor my Projector energy - sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know when spaces become available or look at the calendar here.
