There are certain things we tell ourselves as leaders that keep us on autopilot, that keep us from unleashing our full potential, that keep us in a fixed mindset. Megan Miller and Dr. Brandi Baldwin, co-founders of UNLEASHED Women’s Leadership, took the stage at the Women Leading Travel & Hospitality Summit last month and dismantled four beliefs keeping us stuck as leaders:

1. “I’m not sure I have the credibility to do this.”

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I shouldn’t be in this room,” this one’s for you. Miller gave a few examples: You have an idea but you don’t share it. You want to share something on social media but instead you think, “Who am I to say that?” and you stay silent.

Dismantle the belief: Say to yourself, “Why not me?” Miller said authority isn’t granted. It’s not a permission slip someone gives you.

2. “I can’t lead if I’m not perfect.” 

As leaders, we often tout perfectionism as a virtue, but it keeps us from taking risks and trying new things.

Dismantle the belief: Reframe this idea to understand that perfection is a prison, Baldwin said. “Real leadership is messy and meaningful. You don’t have to be perfect.”

3. “I have to do it alone.” 

This is for the soloists, the solutionists, the fixers. As leaders, and especially as women, we often feel like we have to handle everything because we’re the only ones that can do it right.

Dismantle the belief: “An unleashed woman knows that trying to do it solo … that’s sabotage,” Miller said. Instead, stand in rooms and curate a tribe of hype women that evolve as you evolve.

4. “I’m too late.”

This is for the women who think they’ve missed their time, that feel intimated by the younger generations doing things a different way, that don’t understand the amount of wisdom they have to offer and the amount of experience they have, noted Baldwin.

Dismantle the belief: “You can start fresh as soon as you say you want to start fresh,” Baldwin advised the audience, adding that a good leader owns their personal life timeline no matter their chronological age. “Every mission has a starting point,” said Baldwin.

Women Leading Travel & Hospitality members can watch Miller and Baldwin’s full keynote presentation on-demand. Not a member? Apply today!