The 3 P’s You Must Destroy to Overcome Challenges (Inspired by Tony Robbins)

We all face moments of stress, overwhelm, or frustration. Sometimes it feels like our problems are bigger than we can handle. In those moments, our mindset determines whether we stay stuck or move forward.

Tony Robbins shares a powerful framework that has made a huge difference in my life: the 3 P’s of learned helplessness. When left unchecked, these beliefs convince us that our challenges are unchangeable, all-encompassing, and our fault. When we recognize and destroy them, we take back our power.
Let’s break them down and look at how they apply in business, personal, and professional life.

1. Permanent: “This will never change.”The first P is believing that your problem is permanent.
When life disappoints us over and over, the brain tries to protect us by whispering, “This is just the way it is.” But that is simply not true.
Here’s the truth: no problem is permanent. Only your soul is permanent.
Think about it. Every challenge you have faced so far, you have survived. Nothing lasts forever. Seasons change. Circumstances shift. New opportunities open up. Even if a challenge takes time to overcome, it is not permanent.
In business: Maybe you hit a slow month in sales and it feels like things will always be this way. Remind yourself that markets shift and opportunities return.
In personal life: Maybe you are going through a health challenge or relationship struggle. It can feel endless, but healing and growth are possible.
In professional life: Maybe you are stuck in a job you dislike. It feels permanent until you remember you can learn new skills, seek new opportunities, and take steps forward.

2. Pervasive: “If one thing is bad, everything is bad.”The second P is the belief that your struggles are pervasive, spilling into every part of your life.
For example, if your relationship feels strained, you might start thinking your whole life is terrible, forgetting that you still have your health, your friends, your work, or even the simple gift of being able to breathe.
It is natural for pain in one area to color how you see the rest of your life. But the reality is this: a challenge in one part of life does not define the whole picture.
In business: A tough client or project can make you feel like your entire business is falling apart, when in reality most of your work is going just fine.
In personal life: An argument with a loved one can make you think the whole relationship is doomed, but often it is just one conflict in an otherwise strong connection.
In professional life: A bad review at work might make you feel like you are failing everywhere, when in truth you are succeeding in many areas.
When you shift your perspective, you notice that even in hard times, there is still good happening in your life.

3. Personal: “It’s all my fault.”The third P is when we make problems personal. We believe there is something wrong with us.
We tell ourselves:

• “I’m not good enough.”
• “I’m not smart enough.”
• “I always mess things up.”

The danger of this belief is that it becomes self-fulfilling. You stop trying because you have convinced yourself that you are the problem.
Instead, learn to separate the situation from your identity. Problems are real, but they do not define who you are.
In business: If sales dip, you may think, “I’m terrible at this,” instead of recognizing outside factors like the economy or seasonality.
In personal life: If a friendship drifts apart, you may assume you are unworthy, instead of realizing that sometimes people simply grow in different directions.
In professional life: If you are passed over for a promotion, you may believe you are not capable, when in reality timing or organizational needs were the main factor.

Moving Forward Without the 3 P’sWhen you destroy these three limiting beliefs—permanent, pervasive, and personal—you stop seeing your challenges as an impossible, overwhelming mess. Instead, you see them for what they really are: problems that can be solved, lessons that can be learned, and seasons that will eventually pass.
It will not always be easy, but it will be lighter. You will stop sabotaging yourself and start facing life with more clarity, strength, and hope.

Final ThoughtsNext time you feel weighed down, ask yourself:

• Am I making this problem permanent in my mind?
• Am I letting it feel pervasive across my whole life?
• Am I taking it too personal?

Remember, your challenges are temporary, limited in scope, and they do not define you.
Jake Ballentine
Host of the Climb Your Mountain Podcast
"You are better than you think you are and you can do so much more than you think you can."