Becoming a ballroom dancer, or even taking a dance class doesn’t seem like something that ‘breaks a barrier’, but for many people just the thought of stepping into a dance studio stops them in their tracks.

Most people believe that people are born as dancers… or not.  This is simply a cultural barrier, that is actually untrue. I am living proof that dance is a learned skill, just like any other learned skill.  Driving a car, throwing a ball, even walking.  Education and practice is what makes someone good at any learned skill.

Dancing with a partner is just a learned skill – one that anyone can learn, at any age.  So what’s the first step?

Breaking the barrier in your mind that tells you that you can’t (see #2, 5, 6 & 7 below).  It’s just a story, it’s not the truth.  I recently came across Richard Branson’s Breaking Barriers campaign and it inspired me to break some barriers in my own life.

Here are Richard Branson’s top 10 quotes on breaking barriers – what does it inspire you to break through in your life?

10. “Our diversity is our strength. What a dull and pointless life it would be if everyone was the same.” – Angelina Jolie

9. “We need to make sure we’re all working together to change mindsets, to change attitudes, and to fight against the bad habits that we have as a society.” – Justin Trudeau

8. “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” – Robin Williams

7. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” George Bernard Shaw

6. “The tennis ball doesn’t know how old I am. The ball doesn’t know if I’m a man or a woman or if I come from a communist country or not. Sport has always broken down these barriers.” –  Martina Navratilova

5. “You can focus on things that are barriers or you can focus on scaling the wall or redefining the problem.” – Tim Cook

4.  “You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it’s important for you to understand that your experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest advantages.” – Michelle Obama

3. “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan

2.  “There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.” – Ronald Reagan

1. “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” – Mahatma Gandhi

 

Read the original article by Richard Branson here.