257. The Consultant Trap: “I Should Know Better”

You help clients solve the exact problems you're avoiding in your own business, and a single phrase is keeping you stuck.

"I should know better." 

You've probably said it about your pipeline, your pricing, your business development habits, or that operational issue you keep putting off. 

It sounds like self-awareness. 

Maybe even humility. 

But Melisa Liberman makes the case that this thought is quietly costing you clients, revenue, and confidence.

In this episode, Melisa breaks down why independent consultants are uniquely prone to this trap. You're literally paid to solve problems, so struggling with your own feels like a personal failing. She explains how "I should know better" masquerades as accountability while actually keeping you in a cycle of self-criticism, avoidance, and inaction.

You'll learn why the consultants who build the strongest businesses aren't the ones who never struggle. They're the ones who stop beating themselves up and start leading themselves the way they'd lead a client engagement.

Melisa shares a two-step framework to move from self-judgment to executive-level decision-making in your own business.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• [03:10] Why "I should know better" feels productive but keeps you stuck
• [04:30] When this thought pattern actually serves you, and when it turns toxic
• [08:00] The real cost: how unchecked self-criticism delays revenue-generating action
• [13:12] A two-step framework to shift from self-judgment to decisive ownership

This episode is for you if:

• You're solving problems for clients that mirror unresolved issues in your own business
• You catch yourself downplaying your struggles because "you should have this figured out by now"
• You know what to do, but can't seem to do it for yourself
• You want to lead your consulting business with the same clarity you bring to client work

Full Show Notes: https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-257

Mentioned Resources

1. Companion Resource: Take the Consultant Mindset Audit, www.icmindset.com    
2. Melisa’s Books, Planners & Journals: https://linktr.ee/melisaliberman
3. Mentioned in this Episode:
   1. Episode 167 - Being Wrong About Not Needing To Work On Your Mindset, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-167/#more-2414 
   2. Episode 188 - Thinking of Yourself as a Managing Partner: A Gamechanger for Your Consulting Business Results, https://shownotes.melisaliberman.com/episode-188/#more-2518 

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.