Episode 566: Are You Limiting Your Own Potential?

Summary

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Habits and Hustle, Episode 566: Are You Limiting Your Own Potential?

Host: Jennifer Cohen | Guest: Shani Suisa | Release Date: June 26, 2026

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Episode Overview

In episode 566 of Habits and Hustle, Jennifer Cohen and her recurring guest, Shani Suisa, dive deep into the theme of self-imposed limitations and the mindset shifts necessary to unlock one’s potential. Through candid discussion, Jennifer challenges listeners to reframe how they view themselves, highlighting the dangers of placing others on pedestals while underestimating their own abilities. The episode is an honest examination of why so many people count themselves out before ever really trying—and what can happen if you simply ask, “Why not me?”

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Trap of Underestimating Yourself (01:34–04:17)

• Jennifer opens up about a common psychological barrier: people tend to underestimate what they’re capable of, while overestimating those they admire.
  • “We always underestimate our abilities and overestimate the abilities of the people that we put on pedestals as, oh wow, they were able to do this or that because of whatever reason.” (Jennifer, 01:41)
• She explains her personal philosophy—challenging that self-limiting narrative by embracing curiosity and confidence.
  • “I always go to everything with this idea of why not me? You know, like, why not me?” (Jennifer, 02:17)
• Hard work and tenacity, not hidden talents, are what truly make the difference.
  • “The only difference between somebody else and you is that they tried and they never gave up and they believed in themselves.” (Jennifer, 03:10)

Notable Quote

• “Once you do that, then you become unstoppable because you don’t let things stand in your way and you don’t count yourself out and put other people on a pedestal. That’s usually a lot of times not even deserved.” (Jennifer, 02:27)

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Self-Advocacy Versus Bragging (03:23–04:17)

• Jennifer explores the discomfort people feel in promoting themselves, conflating confidence with arrogance.
  • “We feel like, I think that like part of it is that we tend to think that’s frowned upon, that that’s braggadocious, like I said earlier about me, or that it’s egotistical, or is it really the fact that we just truly, in our heart of hearts, just have so, so much self doubt that we just can’t get out of our own ways.” (Jennifer, 03:36)
• Shani briefly counters, suggesting some actually overestimate themselves, but Jennifer clarifies she’s talking to those who are unknowingly holding themselves back.

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Giving Yourself a Real Chance (06:48–07:50)

• Jennifer stresses that the problem isn’t laziness but a deep-seated belief that success is reserved for “special” people.
  • “People need to stop counting themselves out before even attempting to do whatever that thing is…” (Jennifer, 06:48)
• Shani’s interpretation: People get intimidated by the amount of work, assuming they can’t handle it, without ever trying.
  • “I think because things take a lot of work, they therefore underestimate the fact that they can do it without even trying. Do you know what I mean?” (Shani, 07:39)

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The Power of Mindset: "Why Not Me?" (07:50–End)

• Jennifer returns to her central thesis: it’s not talent or destiny, but mindset and repetition.
  • “It just has to do with the mindset or a perspective of that individual thinking that they are special that then makes them special.” (Jennifer, 07:50)
• Neuroplasticity is at play—she believes that consistent self-affirmation builds the belief needed for action and achievement.
  • “If someone just starts today, it’s never too late… All it takes is you making the choice and the decision that you are going to start thinking differently and just wake up every day with the idea of why not me?” (Jennifer, 08:40)
• Listeners are urged to shed the “I’m not good enough” story and start acting on their goals with confidence and persistence.

Memorable Closing

• “If it can happen to that person, it can happen to me. If that person can do it, I can do it. …If you start with the why not me approach, mentality, ideology, you will see your life shifting and changing in ways that you never even knew existed.” (Jennifer, 08:48)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:34 – Jennifer introduces the “why not me?” philosophy and how it’s changed her life
• 03:10 – Only difference between “successful” people and others is belief and perseverance
• 03:36 – Self-advocacy vs braggadocio; the roots of self-doubt
• 06:48 – The importance of not counting yourself out
• 07:39 – The perception of hard work as a barrier
• 08:40 – Neuroplasticity, mindset shift, and the “why not me?” daily affirmation

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Tone and Style Highlights

• Conversational, direct, and motivational—Jennifer offers tough love, rejecting empty “rah-rah” platitudes for a focus on grit and action.
• There is a strong, repeated emphasis on self-reflection and changing internal narratives—with practical, actionable mindset shifts.

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Key Takeaways

• Stop putting others on a pedestal; they are not fundamentally different.
• Belief in oneself—paired with effort and consistency—is often the only real “secret” to others’ success.
• Repetition and daily practice of a “why not me?” mentality can re-shape your self-perception and open new possibilities.
• It’s never too late: the change starts with deciding to think differently today.

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Transcript

[Tony Robbins]

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[Jennifer]

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[Jennifer]

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[Jennifer]

Welcome to solo episode with my foil, Shani Suisa. You know, we were talking about this before we started about this idea that we always underestimate our abilities and overestimate the abilities of the people that we put on pedestals as, oh wow, they were able to do this or that because of whatever reason. Right? And I think that part of what we do is we limit ourselves to what our actual potential is because that is the mindset that we have so ingrained in our body that like it can't be us, but it could be someone else. And to me, that is why my entire philosophy is I, I kind of turn it on it, I turn that whole philosophy on its head and I always go to everything with this idea of why not me? You know, like, why not me? You know, I feel like that has made me honestly not to sound braggadocious because that's not what this purpose is. But it's made me kind of unstoppable because I've switched the idea from well, it would never happen to me to well, why not me? And once you do that, then you become unstoppable because you don't let things stand in your way and you don't count yourself out and put other people on a pedestal. That's usually a lot of times not even deserved. The only difference between somebody else and you is that they tried and they never gave up and they believed in themselves. And I'm. This is not one of these like self help, you know, rah, rah, you're amazing type of episodes. It's not, it really is, like really not. Because that's, that's not really what I'm about. I'm about hard work, grit, you know, attempting over and over again. But I really feel like over time, from all the people I've spoken to and interviewed, the only difference separating them from somebody else was that they just, they believed in themselves and they just didn't give up and they just went for it regardless of what they had going for them. Like, you gotta kind of have that mentality. And I, I just want to really kind of talk about this idea of like, why do we do that to ourselves? Like, why instead of us being our own best advocate or our own best, you know, promoter, we feel like, I think that like part of it is that we tend to think that's frowned upon, that that's braggadocious, like I said earlier about me, or that it's egotistical, or is it really the fact that we just truly, in the heart, in our heart of hearts, just have so, so much self doubt that we just can't get out of our own ways. Boy, you're brilliant.

[Shani Suisa]

Well, I just think that I, I don't know that I experienced this as much of. I don't know that I underestimate myself. I think I overestimate myself sometimes. I don't know that I.

[Jennifer]

Okay, but I'm not saying okay, this is not about you. Okay, this is more to that the person listening who, you know, really idolizes or puts certain people on this pedestal. Like even with social media, like, wow, look what they've accomplished, look what they can do. And quite honestly, like, if they did the work, if they truly like had the desire and interest and grit to actually do the work that that other person that they put on that pedestal did, there's no saying that they couldn't have got to that same place. That's my point.

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[Jennifer]

My point is people need to stop counting themselves out before even attempting to do whatever that thing is that they want to accomplish.

[Shani Suisa]

Yeah, I see what you're saying. As in give yourself the chance. Like don't, don't just like assume that you wouldn't be good or be able to get there.

[Jennifer]

It's about not only giving yourself the chance, it's about changing your perspective on what it really takes.

[Shani Suisa]

But I think that's why people underestimate themselves, because they know that it would take a lot of work and they don't want to do that work or they feel like it would be just too much.

[Jennifer]

I think a lot of people kid themselves. I think the work part becomes. That's maybe one element. I think a lot of times people are inherently sometimes lazy and so they just don't want to do the work 100%.

[Shani Suisa]

You were like, they think it's easier. And then when, when they get to doing the work and they real how hard it is, they're like, well, I can't actually handle this different.

[Jennifer]

It's like, at least then you don't want to do the work. That doesn't mean that you don't think you can attempt it or do it. It's just that you just don't want to do it.

[Shani Suisa]

No, no. What I'm saying is that I think because things take a lot of work, they therefore underestimate the fact that they can do it without even trying. Do you know what I mean?

[Jennifer]

Right.

[Shani Suisa]

Like, as in that's like a. It's like a daunting task.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, but I don't think it's not. This is not what it's about. This is not about being a daunting T. That's about, like, you become overwhelmed with what it does take, so you just count yourself out. I'm not even talking about that. I'm talking about these. I think a lot of times there are a lot of people who are not lazy, who really want to succeed at something, and they have this idea of what they want, but they don't even try to do the work. Not because they are lazy. It's because they honestly, in their. They don't believe that they are that special person. Like, it's like this ideology that you have to be smart, special to be. To achieve X, Y, or Zed. And what I'm saying is I don't believe that has anything to do with being special at all. It just has to do with the mindset or a perspective of that individual thinking that they are special that then makes them special. Does that make sense? Like, you think that you're special and then you make yourself special versus this idea of like, oh, I'm not this, I'm not special. I'm not good enough. It's for that person. It's like turning that idea on its head and understanding that the only reason why that person became special is because they thought they were special in the first place. And you have to really come to something and really, you know, target and go for something with this idea and this. And like, with this veracity of. Of why not me? I enter everything I do with this why not me mentality. If it can happen to that person, it can happen to me. If that person can do it, I can do it. And the only reason why that was able to now become so ingrained in my neuroplasticity is because I've been saying it and doing it over and over and over again. And now it's just who I am. And I feel like if someone just starts today, it's never too late. You can do it today, you could do it tomorrow. But you're not too old, you know, you're not an old dog that can't learn new tricks. All it takes is you making the choice and the decision that you are going to start thinking differently and just wake up every day with the idea of why not me? And I believe really, wholeheartedly, if you start with the why not me approach, mentality, ideology, you will see your life shifting and changing in ways that you never even knew existed. And, you know, I really in my heart, believe that to be true, Sam.