What They Told You Was Impossible (And Why They Lied)
Woman in her 40s with long locs and curvy body type standing in dramatic copper lighting, chains cracking around her wrists as she begins to break free, representing the moment of awakening to her own power.
They’ll tell you it’s impossible.
They’ll tell you the odds are against you.
They’ll tell you to “be realistic,” to “play it safe,” to stop reaching so high.
And at first, you might believe them.
After all, the world has never made space for women like us—women who come from the wrong side of town, who have too many kids, who didn’t grow up with money or mentors or a safety net.
But here’s the truth:
🔥 They’re not wrong about the odds.
🔥 They’re wrong about you.
And today? We’re setting the record straight.
Woman in her 30s with natural coils in a high crown and athletic build, mid-motion breaking through a concrete wall with explosive copper light radiating outward, embodying unstoppable power and defiance.
Why People Project Their Limitations onto You
Before we go any further, let’s talk about why this happens in the first place.
Because when people tell you something is impossible, it’s rarely about you.
It’s about them.
🚨 Some people see their own past failures in your ambition—and they want to protect you from the same pain.
🚨 Some people have never seen someone do what you’re trying to do—so they assume it can’t be done.
🚨 Some people are uncomfortable with the idea of you rising higher than them—so they try to pull you back down.
🚨 Some people don’t even realize they’re projecting their fears onto you—they just think they’re “helping.”
And here’s where it gets dangerous:
If you’re not careful, you’ll internalize their doubts as your own.
🔥 You’ll start shrinking before you even get started.
🔥 You’ll start playing small before you even take the first step.
🔥 You’ll start doubting the dream before you even dare to chase it.
And sis? That’s how people keep themselves trapped.
SIDE BAR: 💭 When the Door Opens and You Want to Run
You prayed for this.
You worked for this.
You fought for this.
So why does finally getting it make you want to disappear?
Read this slowly:
💭 What part of me only knows how to hustle, not how to have?
💭 What am I afraid will change if I actually let myself win?
💭 Who am I worried I’ll leave behind if I fully step into this?
This isn’t proof you’re unqualified.
It’s just proof you’re in new territory.
🔥 You are allowed to stay in the room you earned.
🔥 You are allowed to keep the blessing you asked for.
🔥 You are allowed to be the woman who not only gets the opportunity—but holds it.
If standing in this new level feels shaky, go deeper with the Walking in the Impossible series and let’s practice staying at the table together.
Woman in her 30s with natural braids and plus-size build standing firm in the center, surrounded by dark shadowy figures representing doubt and limiting voices, while copper light radiates from her core, pushing back the darkness and representing her choice to believe in herself.
The Odds Are Real—But They Don’t Apply to You
Listen. I’m not going to sit here and pretend that obstacles don’t exist.
🚨 If you’re a Black woman, the odds are real.
🚨 If you’re a mother trying to build something from the ground up, the odds are real.
🚨 If you come from poverty, if you didn’t grow up with connections, if you have a past that the world loves to hold against you—the odds are real.
But what’s also real?
🔥 The fact that you’ve been defying odds since the day you were born.
Think about it.
How many times have you already been counted out?
How many moments should have broken you—but didn’t?
How many things have you already accomplished that they said weren’t possible?
You’ve been proving them wrong your entire life.
And now? It’s time to do it on purpose.
Woman in her 50s with natural coils in a high crown standing powerfully with arms open wide in an expansive, welcoming gesture, surrounded by silhouettes of diverse Black women of varying ages and body types stepping forward and rising up, with copper light radiating outward creating a circle of belonging and invitation.
How to Train Yourself to Believe in Bigger
The reason so many people believe in limits?
It’s because they’ve never seen anything else.
🚨 If you’ve only ever seen struggle, you’ll believe that struggle is all there is.
🚨 If you’ve only ever seen people settle, you’ll believe that settling is the only option.
🚨 If you’ve only ever seen people fail, you’ll start believing that failure is inevitable.
And this is where you have to make a choice.
🔥 Will you accept the world as it’s been shown to you?
🔥 Or will you decide to see beyond it?
Because belief isn’t about what’s real right now—it’s about what’s possible.
And possibility? That’s something you train yourself to see.
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3 Ways to Start Expanding Your Vision Today
1️⃣ Surround Yourself With People Who Think Bigger
🔥 If you don’t have people in your immediate circle who inspire you—find them elsewhere.
🔥 Read the books. Listen to the podcasts. Watch the interviews.
🔥 Fill your mind with stories of people who came from nothing and built everything.
Because when you see enough proof, you stop needing permission.
2️⃣ Stop Asking “Can I?”—Start Asking “How Can I?”
🚨 Can I start a business as a single mom?
🚨 Can I go back to school at my age?
🚨 Can I rebuild my life after failure?
The answer is always yes.
So instead of asking if you can do it, start asking how you’re going to make it happen.
Because when you ask how, your brain starts working on solutions instead of problems.
3️⃣ Borrow Belief Until Yours Kicks In
Some of us have been surrounded by doubt for so long that we don’t even know what real belief feels like.
And that’s okay.
If you don’t believe in yourself yet?
Borrow my belief.
🔥 I believe you can do this.
🔥 I believe you were made for more.
🔥 I believe the dream inside you was placed there for a reason.
And until you can say it for yourself? Let me hold that belief for you.
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Final Word: What’s Your “Impossible” Dream?
Because by the end of this series?
🔥 You’re going to make it happen.
Drop it in the comments. Say it out loud. Write it in your journal.
And next week?
🔥 We start turning the impossible into reality.
Because they were wrong about you.
And it’s time to show them just how wrong they were. 🔥
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The Limits You Inherited—And Why They’re Not Yours to Keep
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK
Do a “Generational Belief Audit.” Identify one belief about success, money, motherhood, or possibility that didn’t start with you.
HOW TO DO IT:
✔ Small: Name the belief.
✔ Medium: Name who you inherited it from.
✔ Big: Return that belief — literally say out loud: “This is not mine to carry.”
EXAMPLE (Money)
Small: “People like us don’t make that kind of money.”
Medium: I inherited this from my grandfather and the environment he grew up in.
Big: I say out loud: “This belief is not mine. I release it and choose abundance.”
Dr. Sagashus inviting you into the IMverse through the Wanted Newsletter or coaching.
FAQ SECTION
Q: Why do I still hear that voice telling me I can’t do it—even though I’ve already survived so much?
Because doubt doesn’t disappear just because you’ve accomplished things.
The world has spent years teaching women—especially Black women and mothers—that their limits are the truth.
Your spirit knows better.
Your conditioning just needs time to catch up.
If this is you, go deeper by following the full Impossible Possibilities Series or joining the Wanted Newsletter for weekly grounding.
Q: What if the people around me don’t believe in my dream? Should I still pursue it?
Sis, people can only believe in what they’ve seen.
If they’ve never seen a woman like you do something big, they’ll assume it’s impossible.
That doesn’t mean you should shrink.
If your environment feels too small for your vision, explore IM coaching or the IMverse community where dreaming bigger is the norm.
Q: How do I stop confusing other people’s fears with my own?
Start noticing the tone of the fear.
Does it sound like your truth… or someone else’s trauma?
Often, what feels like fear is really an inherited belief that doesn’t belong to you.
If you’re struggling to separate the two, the weekly challenges in this series help you untangle what’s yours from what you learned.
Q: What if I believe in the dream but I don’t believe in myself yet?
You’re not alone.
Self-belief is a muscle, not a birthright.
You grow it.
You train it.
And until it strengthens, you can borrow someone else’s belief—mine included.
For more structured support, the Covet Journal and IMverse coaching are designed to build belief through consistent practice.
Q: How do I dream bigger when nobody in my family has ever done what I’m trying to do?
Being the first is heavy.
It means you’re carrying both hope and the unknown.
But being the first also means you’re the blueprint—your story becomes the model your lineage never had.
If you need guidance while walking a path no one paved for you, connect with the Without Apology Tour or join the newsletter for ongoing encouragement.
Q: I’m afraid of failing… but I’m also afraid of succeeding. What do I do with that?
Both fears are valid.
Failure threatens your stability.
Success threatens your identity.
But neither fear means you aren’t ready.
It just means you’re evolving.
The deeper work of facing both fears is woven through Weeks 3–7 of this series—start there when you’re ready.
Q: What if I’ve already failed before—does that mean the dream is dead?
Absolutely not.
Failure is often the only teacher that prepares women for the next level of success.
Your story isn’t over; it’s unfolding.
To unpack past failures without guilt or shame, explore the upcoming coaching offerings or join Bad Girl Fit for mindset practice rooted in resilience.
Q: Why do I always feel like I’m waiting for permission to start?
Because many of us were raised to ask before we reached, to shrink before we stepped forward.
But you’re grown now.
You’re powerful now.
And permission is something you give yourself.
If you’re ready to practice that boldly, follow this weekly series or join the Wanted Newsletter for accountability and community.
Q: How do I stay committed when the dream feels too big?
Break it down.
Big dreams look impossible because you’re imagining the whole mountain instead of the next step.
Your job is not the mountain.
Your job is the step.
The weekly challenges at the end of each post help you build consistency and courage in small, actionable ways.
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Dr. Sagashus Levingston is an author, entrepreneur and PhD holder. She has two fur babies, Maya and Gracie, six children (three boys and three girls), and they all (including her partner) live in Madison, WI. She loves all things business, is committed to reminding moms of their power, and is dedicated to playing her part in closing the wealth gap for people of color and women. She believes that mothering is a practice, like yoga, and she fights daily to manage her chocolate intake. The struggle is real, y’all…and sometimes it’s beautiful.
Follow her on Instagram: @infamous.mothers