Ep #98: When Your Ambition Meets a Money Ceiling

Hey, coach. What if hitting a money ceiling was not a sign that you're doing something wrong, but actually proof that your ambition is ready to rise? I'm Kendall, and in this episode of The Money Coach School Podcast, we're diving into what really happens when powerful, high-achieving women like you bump up against the invisible limits of your current income, current identity, or even your current capacity. 

We'll unpack the four hidden patterns that keep even successful coaches capped and the identity-driven moves that can break you free. Now, this isn't about working harder. It's about living into the next level version of you who's done settling and is ready for overflow. It's all here for you in this episode of The Money Coach School Podcast. Let's dive in.

Welcome to The Money Coach School Podcast. To really excel at coaching women, you have to be skilled, confident, and even fearless at money coaching. If you're passionate about women holding genuine money power and love supporting women entrepreneurs, then this is the show for you. Now, here's your host, money feminist Kendall SummerHawk.

Hello, my powerful, soulful, money-minded woman. That’s you. Welcome back to The Money Coach School Podcast. This is the podcast for women who are done playing small with money and ready to make, hold, and multiply real money.

So today's episode is going to hit a little bit of a nerve, but in the best way. Because we're talking about something every high-achieving woman I know has faced. And that is holding ourselves back, even while we're moving forward. Now, I know, I know, it sounds paradoxical. But if you've ever felt like, well, I should be farther along by now, or why does this still feel harder than it should? Trust me, you're not broken, certainly not, and you're not behind. You're just brushing up against an old ceiling and you're ready to rise and break through.

Now, I've made nearly $30 million in my coaching business, but you know what's never changed? My ambition, my creativity, that fire in my belly to grow and stretch and to see what I'm capable of next. And if you're listening, I know that spark lives in you as well. And that's the difference between just chasing goals versus living your ambition. You are not striving to prove, and maybe you were doing that originally, I know I was, but then that quickly dissipated. Instead, you're evolving for the joy of seeing what you're capable of. Because the challenge of stretching, even when it's uncomfortable, is what we live for. I call it not settling. We challenge ourselves to stretch because it makes us feel strong and it makes us feel capable.

And I believe that growing our self-worth comes from leaning into that stretch and becoming more of who we're meant to be, to really see how far can we take this? How big can I become from the inside out? How much capacity can I create? But, let's face it, sometimes there's a gap between the coach you know you are and the results that you're currently seeing, whether that's income or numbers of clients or how powerful your work is landing. And I want to help you close that gap starting today. Because again, you're not stuck and you're not waiting. You're ready to go. You're just bumping up against invisible limits and those can be cleared.

So let's dive into what those hidden ceilings really are and how they show up for smart, soulful, successful women like you, and how to break through without burnout, without guilt, and without proving a darn thing to anyone but yourself.

So first, the quiet ways that we hold ourselves back. We hold ourselves back not because of lack of effort, absolutely not, but because of the unspoken patterns we never thought to question. So we internalize ceilings around what we're “allowed” to earn, what is “reasonable” to want, how big is too big? And most of all that, that's actually not ours. It didn't stem from us, it didn't originate from us. It's cultural, it's usually generational, and it is definitely gendered. It is something that is placed on women by the patriarchy.

And it shows up in sneaky little ways. It shows up in four hidden patterns that can be keeping you capped. And these are four patterns that I see most often with the women that I coach inside of my Secret Energy of Money® Mastermind. So I want you to be honest with yourself, which one of these four are you in?

Pattern number one is the success plateau. That's where you're doing well, but you've been at that same income reality for a while and it's not matching the work, the talent, or the energy that you're pouring into your business and your work.

Pattern number two is the enoughness trap. This one is really sneaky because it sounds like, well, I should just be grateful, or maybe this is as good as it gets, or who am I to want more? What this is, is scarcity disguised as humility. It is a dream killer for ambitious, soul-driven women.

Pattern number three is the money safety identity. This is where you've always made X, whatever that amount is. So making more feels risky. It feels unsteady, wobbly, or like it might cost you something. But that's not intuition speaking to you. What that is, is an outdated identity that needs to be re-envisioned, okay?

All right, pattern number four is the overthinking spiral. And if this is you, welcome to the club. I so get you. Over-analysis is a sign of perfectionism. It's the smart woman's favorite stall tactic. But you know, clarity doesn't come from more thinking, it comes from taking action. It comes from million-dollar decisions, million-dollar actions.

So that leads me to where your next level is. Your next-level self already exists. And this is really the turning point. Your next level isn't something that you earn through perfection or hustling or working more. It's something you experience by decision. It doesn't always feel like an epiphany. It's not like a bolt of lightning comes down and strikes you and says, woohoo, here's your next level identity. Instead, it often happens step by step, day by day. And you're only going to notice the difference when you look back at who you were, how you thought, and what you were doing, like let's say 90 days ago or even six months ago.

Your self-concept, which of course is how you see and hold yourself, is the foundation of everything. And if the woman you've been up until now got you here, that's great, then it's time to let a new version of you, a version of you who creates overflow, now take the lead. I do go into this in more depth in a past episode. It's episode 74, which is all about building your million-dollar self-concept. I highly encourage you, as soon as this episode finishes, go click on the link below in the show notes or navigate your way to episode 74 and listen to that. But for today, just know this: you get to choose to start living as her. She's already in you and she's ready.

So let me give you three very quick, identity-driven moves that can help you break through this ceiling. Now, this isn't about doing more, it's about moving differently throughout your day. Moving like the woman who's done waiting, done second-guessing, and ready to claim everything she knows she's meant for. And here's what that looks like in practice.

Number one, you declare, "I'm not available for this anymore." I love saying that. When old stuff comes up, which happens about daily, I say, "Nope, I'm not available for that anymore. I'm not available for the under-earning, not the emotional money drama, not the stuckness disguised as safety." No, you're not available for that. So you declare it. I'm not available for this anymore. You say it out loud. You don't need more signs from the universe. You are the sign.

Number two, refuse to do this alone. You know, powerful women plug into support that expands them. Mentorship isn't a splurge, it is a portal. Every time you invest in the woman you're becoming, the world, the universe, recalibrates to meet you.

And number three, make million-dollar decisions, not shrink-to-fit ones. So you can ask yourself with every choice, is this keeping me in my current financial status or reality, or is it opening the door to my next one? Now, you may not have a clear answer as to, is it opening the door to my next one? Like you might hope it is, you think it is, you don't know for sure yet. That's okay. But you will know for sure, is this keeping me in my current financial reality? That's a yes or no question. You know the answer to that. You know it. 

And if the answer is, yes, it's keeping me in my current financial reality, make a different decision. Make a million-dollar decision. Make that bold move, even if your heart pounds, even if your hands shake. Million-dollar decisions are the ones that come from your ambitious self. That's the woman you're saying yes to, the woman you are when you're not self-censoring or shrinking to fit. These are the best decisions because they're powerful and they're aligned with who you're meant to be. They don't always make sense. I get that, but that's to be expected. These are the decisions that move you forward on the daily.

All right, so to wrap up, let's let this land. You are capable. The only thing missing is your decision to own it, out loud, on paper, and in the way that you run your business. Your next level isn't waiting on more information. It's waiting on you to say, "Let's go." And the ceilings that you're hitting, they're not permanent. They're actually an invitation. And isn't that a beautiful way to look at them? They're an invitation.

And inside the Secret Energy of Money® Mastermind, you're going to get very clear about what's capping your income. We're going to rewire your relationship with money, and I'm going to show you how to start making million-dollar decisions like the woman who knows she's meant for more and is finally ready to claim it because that's you. Inside Secret Energy of Money®, this is not fluffy mindset stuff. It's not a bunch of journaling. It is real-time money coaching and strategy, identity work, and million-dollar decision-making.

So if you're done circling your potential and you're ready to build overflow for real, this is your moment. I hope you'll join me inside the Secret Energy of Money® Mastermind. I'll put the link for it in the show notes here. Because your next level, it starts with a single decision and this can be it.

All right, my beautiful soul. Remember that money coaching changes lives, starting with yours. Thank you so much and I will see you here in next week's episode.

Thank you so much for tuning into this week's episode of The Money Coach School Podcast. If you enjoyed this podcast, make sure you follow so you never miss an episode. Also, I would so love and appreciate if you would leave a 5-star review. Your review supports women just like you in discovering all of the juicy tips and insights I’m sharing here on how to coach women on money.

And if you want to learn how to excel at coaching women on money, definitely go to KendallSummerHawk.com and check out the wealth of money coach trainings that we have for you. Thanks so much for being part of this money coaching movement and for tuning into the show every week.