Written by Jaskaran Soomal, Mental Health Mentor
Jaskaran Soomal is well-known in the realm of mental health and mindfulness. She is the founder of A Mindful Message, an online platform dedicated to mental wellness, the publisher well-being journals, and an advocate speaker for international students.
We as entrepreneurs often chase success relentlessly. Navigating through an array of challenges, risks and self-discovery. Yet, even the 1% among us might find ourselves held back, stuck in cycles of self-sabotage or battling insecurities that defy logic.
Lise Bourbeau’s exploration of The 5 Soul Wounds, rooted in John Pierrakos’ psychological theories, provides an understanding of how past emotional wounds influence our thoughts, behaviors and even our business endeavors.
What are soul wounds?
Soul wounds are deep emotional scars often rooted in our childhood. These scars create the masks we wear to protect ourselves. This then influences how we interact with the world.
These wounds manifest in behaviors, relationships and even our entrepreneurial mindset. Bourbeau identifies five primary soul wounds: rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal and injustice.
For entrepreneurs, understanding these wounds is vital for breaking through mental barriers and achieving authentic success. Here’s how each wound—and its corresponding mask—might show up your entrepreneurial journey.
1. Rejection
Fear: Being rejected.
Mask of withdrawal: shows up as avoidance of visibility
Origin: Felt rejection during the first year of life, often from a same-sex parent.
Impact of rejection: Doubts self-worth and avoids love.
Healing Lesson: Embrace self-love, self-acceptance and authenticity.
In the entrepreneurial world, the Withdrawer might fear pitching ideas or stepping into leadership roles. The desire to be “perfect” often leads to procrastination or over-preparation, this stalls progress.
Entrepreneurial Tip: Shift your mindset from perfection to progress. Start small, embrace feedback and remember that rejection is redirection.
2. Abandonment
Origin: Lack of emotional support or sudden separation from opposite-sex parents (ages 1-3).
Fear: Loneliness or lack of support.
Mask of Dependence: shows up as over-reliance on others.
Impact of abandonment: Fear of loneliness, codependent relationships and neglect of personal needs.
Healing Lesson: Build personal strength and learn to thrive independently.
The dependent entrepreneurs may struggle with decision-making or hesitate to take risks without validation. They might avoid delegating.
Tip: Cultivate self-reliance by setting small goals you can achieve independently. Build a healthy support system, but trust your instincts to lead the way.
3. Humiliation
Origin: Shame instilled by a caregiver (ages 1-3), often linked to physical and sensual boundaries.
Fear: Losing freedom or being judged.
Mask of Subservience/Masochist: shows up as overcommitting to please others
Impact of humiliation: Internalised shame, discomfort with pleasure and a tendency to humiliate others.
Healing Lesson: Accept that pleasure and sensuality are natural and vital to human experiences.
Entrepreneurs with a Masochist mask often neglect self-care, overburden themselves with responsibilities to prove their worth. This leads to burnout and stunted creativity.
Tip: Establish boundaries; prioritise tasks that align with your vision and don’t be afraid to say no to distractions.
4. Betrayal
Origin: Manipulation or loss of trust by opposite-sex parents (ages 2-4).
Fear: Losing trust or control.
Mask of Controller/ing: shows up as micromanagement
Impact of betrayal : A need to control outcomes and difficulty trusting others.
Healing Lesson: Embrace vulnerability, accept imperfection, and let go of excessive control.
The controlling entrepreneurs often feel the need to oversee every detail, fearing that delegation will lead to failure. This mistrust can stifle team morale and innovation.
Tip: Practice delegating tasks gradually. Build trust with your team and focus on strategic growth instead of day-to-day micromanagement.
5. Injustice
Origin: Emotional coldness or criticism from a same-sex parent (ages 4-6).
Fear: Coldness and insensitivity from others.
Mask of Rigidity: shows up as an overachieving perfectionist.
Impact: Suppresses emotions, feels unappreciated, and struggles with self-criticism.
Healing Lesson: Allow self-compassion and accept criticism without internalising guilt.
The Rigid entrepreneur constantly strives to prove their worth, masking vulnerabilities with an unrelenting drive for success. While this can create short-term wins, it often leads to emotional exhaustion.
Tip: Embrace vulnerability. Recognise your vulnerabilities and use that to form authentic and genuine professional relationships.
Transforming wounds into wisdom
Recognising these soul wounds isn’t about blaming others or dwelling on the past. It’s about acknowledging how these scars influence your entrepreneurial journey and taking steps to heal.
Self-awareness
Identify which wound resonates with your experiences. Reflect on how it manifests in your personal and professional life.
Healing practices
Journaling, mindfulness and seeking guidance from mentors or therapists can help address these wounds.
Growth mindset
Embrace setbacks as opportunities for growth and view challenges as stepping stones toward your greater purpose.
This framework provides a powerful lens to explore personal and interpersonal dynamics. Understanding these wounds can deepen emotional intelligence and aid in personal growth. Take these wounds, masks and origins to your therapist, counsellor or coach and work on them together!
Jaskaran Soomal, Mental Health Mentor
Jaskaran Soomal is a pioneer in the field of mental health, dedicated to breaking down language and cultural barriers in accessing healthcare. Utilizing self-awareness and Maslow's hierarchy of needs, she has developed a blueprint guide for achieving optimal health. She is the founder of A Mindful Message, an initiative aimed at promoting mental wellness through accessible and inclusive approaches. Her mission: to build the world's most human-centric multilingual mental health service.
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