You were not born to play small. You were born to disrupt, to heal, to lead, and to ignite.
— Vishen Lakhiani, Mindvalley Social Media Summit 2025
Let’s be honest.
You felt it too, didn’t you?
You attended the Social Media Summit. You were lit up. Expanded. Awakened to what’s possible. You saw the speakers stand boldly in their message—no filters, no scripts, just soul.
And then… the next day, when you went to hit “record” on your phone or write that vulnerable post, something in your body said:
“Nope. Not safe. Not today.”
That. Right there. That’s the visibility wound.
And it’s more real than most people talk about.
This isn’t just about social media
At the summit, we weren’t just talking about tactics.
We weren’t just learning hooks, captions, and growth strategies.
We were being called into something deeper.
We were being asked:
- Will you let yourself be truly seen?
- Will you stop hiding behind overthinking and finally speak your truth?
- Will you own that you’re here for a mission—and that the only thing standing in the way is the fear of being visible?
What came up for many of us wasn’t just resistance.
It was old wounding—deep in the nervous system, layered in shame, cloaked in perfectionism, and inherited through generations.
And if that’s you…
You’re not broken.
You’re not lazy.
You’re not “not cut out for this.”
You’re just holding an unhealed visibility wound.
What is the visibility wound?
It’s the fear that if you are seen for who you truly are, you will be judged… or rejected… or ridiculed… or abandoned.
It’s that subtle dread that lives between the spark of your genius and the moment of pressing “share.”
It’s your inner child remembering the time they raised their hand and got laughed at.
It’s your nervous system recalling the ancestral memory of being silenced, shamed, or punished for speaking the truth.
It’s the voice in your head that says:
- “You need to be more polished.”
- “You need more followers first.”
- “You’re not ready yet.”
But none of that is your truth.
It’s your conditioning. Your trauma. Your protection mechanism is trying to keep you safe from a threat that no longer exists.
The moment I saw my own wound
When I was teaching on stage during the Mindvalley Social Media Summit, I had a moment. A crack in the system—in my system.
I realized: I too have the visibility wound.
A teammate pointed it out to me—gently, but directly.
And to be honest, it stung.
They said, “Vishen… you do realize you suffer from the visibility wound too?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, slightly defensive.
And they replied:
“You literally hosted the CNN Global New Year Countdown broadcast to hundreds of millions of people around the world.
You were just on the cover of Global Citizen Magazine this week.
And you didn’t share either of those on Instagram.”
Oof.
They were right.
I hadn’t updated my personal site, vishen.com, in years.
I hesitate to share my own newsletters on Instagram.
And some part of me—the part that prides itself on staying grounded, authentic, human—quietly resists posting anything that might seem… “too shiny.”
Why?
That question sat with me.
Am I afraid that if I look too successful, I’ll become unrelatable? That I’ll break trust with those who’ve journeyed with me from the early days?
Maybe.
I’m still exploring that.
But here’s what I know: I took the note.
And this weekend? I posted that magazine cover.
I posted the CNN New Year Countdown the same day.
Because visibility is not vanity—it’s service.
It’s modeling freedom.
It’s showing others what’s possible.
So if I—someone who’s built a global brand around transformation—still bump up against this wound… could it be showing up in you too?
Let me remind you:
This isn’t about algorithms or aesthetics.
This is about freedom.
The freedom to show the world who you are—without shame, without apology, and without fear of abandonment.
It’s not just a post.
It’s a reclamation.
Visibility is the gateway to everything you desire
We’ve all heard it now, again and again, from the summit stage:
The algorithm doesn’t reward perfection. It rewards authenticity.
— Brendan Kane
This is not about becoming an influencer.
This is about owning your identity as a creator because creators change the world.
Your next client… your next opportunity… your next quantum leap…
They’re not waiting for you to be perfect.
They’re waiting for you to be real.
And that only happens when you heal the fear of being seen.
Why do so many of us struggle with this?
Because for many of us, visibility didn’t feel safe growing up.
- If you were told to be quiet, you learned to silence yourself.
- If you were only praised for being perfect, you learned to hide your messy truth.
- If you watched others get torn down for standing out, you learned to stay small.
And then we try to launch brands, start businesses, share messages…
All while that inner child, or that ancestral trauma, or that energetic block whispers:
“If they see the real you… you won’t be loved.”
As one commenter in our Social Media Summit chat said,
This explains why I can teach others to shine but struggle to post myself.
— Theresa Lee
And that’s the lie we’ve all internalized.
But the truth is this: Being seen doesn’t mean being exposed. It means being revealed.
The Summit cracked something open
In the Zoom chat, people were feeling it:
“My voice is needed.” — Yennifer
“Screw my fear of being seen.” — Maria Rahayuni
“This explains everything.” — Theresa Lee
The wound was being named. And once named… it started losing power.
Because this isn’t just about content.
It’s about liberation.
Every time you post something real? You reclaim a piece of your voice.
Every time you show your face? You rewire your nervous system.
Every time you speak your truth? You undo generations of silence.
The new paradigm: Visibility as healing
If you’re a business owner, I want you to reflect on this post by Mastin Kipp. I shared this on my phone on Day 2 of the Social Media Summit.
So let’s not LIE to ourselves. It’s not procrastination. It’s FEAR.
And it’s time to heal this wound.
- Every time you post, you’re not just creating content—you’re reclaiming your voice.
- Every time you show your face, you’re not just growing your brand—you’re reprogramming your nervous system to believe it’s safe to be seen.
- Every time you speak your truth, you’re not just expressing yourself—you’re healing generations of silence.
This is not just about visibility.
This is about liberation.
From the inner critic.
From the fear of judgment.
From the old story that says you must be small to be safe.
You are the medicine
If you’ve been wondering whether your story matters—it does.
If you’ve been thinking the world doesn’t need another coach, healer, artist, entrepreneur—it does.
But what it really needs is more truth.
More vulnerability.
More realness.
You don’t have to be “big” to be impactful.
You just have to be visible enough to be found by the people you’re here to serve.
“Just get started. Even if it’s messy.”
— Sunbird Hill Team (Uganda)
“Nobody cares. Just post it. Just start.”
— Jessica Momodu
So let this be your permission slip:
- To speak even if your voice shakes.
- To post even if you don’t have a strategy.
- To show up even if you’re still healing.
Because your voice isn’t meant to be polished.
It’s meant to be felt.
Final words (read this slowly)
The visibility wound is real.
But so is your power to heal it.
Start small.
Start scared.
Start anyway.
And remember:
This isn’t about performance.
It’s about presence.
Let’s stop hiding.
Let’s turn platforms into portals.
Let’s use our voice—not for validation but for liberation.
Reflections from the Summit chat: Words to heal by
“I’ve been hiding since I was 7. This helped me remember who I was.”
— Mary Johnson
“The moment I understood this was a wound—not a flaw—everything softened.”
— Anna Grozdanova
“I finally understand… this isn’t procrastination. It’s fear.”
— Theresa Lee
“This visibility wound is ancestral. I feel it in my body.”
— Gail Cassidy
“My nervous system says no even when my heart says yes.”
— Barbara Séguin
“I’ve hidden my story behind strategy for years. No more.”
— Lori G
“Your story is the medicine. I’m done diluting mine.”
— Sybille Schaufler
“Being seen isn’t exposure. It’s an act of liberation.”
— Cristina Stan
Final invitation: Your next brave step
Ready for your next brave step?
If your soul lit up reading this—if you felt seen—then you don’t need more tips. You need a container. A sacred dojo of visibility. A space where your truth becomes your brand and your voice becomes your superpower.
That’s why we created Social Media Mastery.
We sold out the first round of Early Bird spots, but regular enrollment is open right now.
Learn more here: mindvalley.com/mastery/socialmedia
And remember: this isn’t about chasing followers.
It’s about becoming magnetic—by being nothing more than fully yourself.
Let’s do this.
If today’s message around The Visibility Wound resonated with you—or if you’ve ever felt the fear of being seen—let me know your thoughts in the comments. Let me know if you’d like to see more topics like this in my future newsletters.
With fierce love and full belief in your light,
—Vishen
44 Responses
As 1 in 3 women in the UK may tell you, Vishen, we are frightened to be seen because we have encountered physical violence and it is a matter of life and death for us to hide. Yes, even those of us fortunate enough to be well educated and healed in our souls. Men glibly tell us to just be authentic, ditch the fear. Always men who never had a partner beat them up. Now, I consider you a sensitive person and an awakened man, but you have not considered the daily reality for single women who are trying to run a business, terrified that their ex will show up if their profile is public; either at their office, at some meeting or event. I know you have good intentions but literally thousands of us cannot risk being seen because being seen may mean the end. Just saying.
Hey Vishen,
it‘s so true. Thanks again for sharing this in your Newsletter. By reading it I felt caught. I heard your story in the Summit, but didn‘t realize the real background. What hit me most was that I was so sure I need to overcome my procrastination and focused on this since years without showing up. The shock was hughe to read that it‘s only fear! My heart dropped deap in a black whole by reading these lines. But I knew immediately that‘s it! You know what‘s happening now? Yes. It just starts feeling lighter and lighter.
Thank you so much for giving me this „little“ peace of puzzle to my life. Somehow I feel that this one could change my whole life.
Good evening sir, well I came across your book “code of the extraordinary mind” which I’m still learning and going back to it again and again. I read and assimilate your new post about the visibility wound. I’ll say the words are really poking at me, like I dont even know what to say but I’ll try to explain myself here. I don’t know but I’m always having this feeling of not feeling good enough. I made videos which I didn’t post, like educational videos and I procrastinate alot sir. I don’t know if it’s fear or doubt of me feeling not good enough. Well I hope with this few words of mine you can help me out. I’m here for your response.
Obviously, this was a wake-up call for me. I had to sit, sobbing and deep breathing, for several minutes processing. Maybe I’m not done yet. I wish there was an easier way to heal and release the wound without “bust through it” with “do-it-anyway.” Well, that’s how I started giving talks at my church.
I really identify with this Visibility Wound and appreciate the newsletter and YOU Vishen. You are one of my gurus! For YEARS I have had the YouTube channel: Self Care for Chronic Pain which was a great URL to grab, and yet I have never posted a single video, even though I have created tons of them in my head. Part of my rationale is there is no business “through line” – it will take time and is not directly related making money. And there are so many other reasons: I’m not a health care expert, I have no degrees, my videos won’t be snazzy enough to hold people’s attention, and the haters….the dreaded haters will pierce my thin skin even though I am just trying to help people. UGH! Anyways, thanks for bringing this to light. I have to say, I’ve noticed your programs have become so expensive. Please don’t make learning only for the rich and privileged. ❤️
Hi Vishen, It would be a great opportunity to follow the Mastering Social Media. But I can’t follow al the course on the same time 😅 it would be difficult😅🙈. Also with a fulltime job. I follow the Certified Life Coach for the moment and I’m sure that the Mastering Social Media would be great to know how social media works and I could also use it perfectly as a supplement for setting up my online coaching business. But unfortunately it runs together and it is now too much amount for me. I live alone and have also a mortgage to pay. And it’s not easily. Thanks for asking wish you al the best and also the whole Mindvalley team and Members!! 💝
Vishen, Thank you for reaching out and yes you are correct, each word. It was an beyond amazing weekend, and Although the Universe had other plans for my Hours.
The Weekend had Spending time with family and Loved Ones, less than 24 hours with the Love of my Life , working at my cleaning contract, meditating, praying, studying going through lessons a few times in contrast to other times where I can absorb hours of teaching in minutes.
All of this and I began to post on LinkedIn, cracking open.
I began to knock on the doors of Viome and found my way into Xprize by emailing A Hollywood Actor.
I opened by saying that I did not have Billions or Millions, thousands or even hundreds of dollars to donate, but I am the registered owner of the largest Lunar Meteorite ever found by a Private Citzen. They are rare and are weighed in grams Low end $100 USD per gram and upwards of $1000 per gram. I have so much that I am unable to weigh it.
Canadian is not great with this and handed me off the the USA for next steps.
It is brutally slow, costly and I am baffled by my Own Country.
XPRIZE have all the documents and many photos. When my own Family and Community and Country did not believe me or could handle me, they did.
I told them I did not want to great a competition I wanted to give it away 500 lbs of it. A valuation of approx $22 million USD, they accepted only if I was to share my Moonshot Idea which has turned into 5 Moonshot. all world changing.
I was contacted by Steele Ford , the Chief Advancement Officer. He approached me as you do Vishen, straight up and to the Core. I completed my Training and I am now a Certified Designer whos ideas are being considered for a future XPrize.
I have also stated my desire to work with Viome, this is very personal. I was told that I have bacteria that has colonized in my body and will never leave, no cure. I gave the bacteria an eviction notice. I also have an acquired version of Hypertrichosis, once again no cure,IO do not accept that I am healing. how Through my Teachings here at mindvalley through my recall, remembering and yes reclamation.
The Critic between my ears is become easier to quiet , yet i have my momets and hours, and yes days where the old Brules appear, and yes ancestors, so many.
I responded Yes, maybe not a Social Media post , instead multiple ideas to XPrize and Peter who manages a $600 million Venture Capital fund. I connect with Nilesh Jain and a prominent Canadian. I contacted the Canadian Space Agency, the US Astronomical Society , Testing facilities and Federal Politicians. Now working on Canadian Philanthropists.
I email and message
Peter H. Diamandis Seriously? He is my XPRiZE COACH and Advisor.
I message and sent the craziest of my Ideas to Clean up the Moon to Anousheh Ansari
CEO of the X Prize Foundation.
Anousheh Ansari !!! Yes Me!!
They both signed my Certificate and the Peter send a Welcome to the Xprize Foundation video and a lets get to work!!
Wild Days and I am taking the time to learn from you Vishen and Juan Pablo. Some days I may miss being online yet remain Connected and learn / I hear you Sir as I hear Juanpa.
Silva Utramind is home, I feel most at home there. I look forward to advancing in my training.
Yes, i am Mindvalley and Now I am also XPRIZE and Learning to to change the World.
I am now a part of the XPrize Foundation, I completed my course and certification to become a Designer with my Own Design Studio to develop the craziest of my ideas while being coached by Peter to refine them before April 15. Peter recorded coaching teaching training sessions for Me, yes me!!
repeating the information?? Abso fucking lutely.
Naveen Jain, Michael Beckwith, Vishen, Juanpa and Now Peter and Anousheh Ansari.
All of you are AMazing beyond ! World Changers.
Anousheh Ansari, She is a Legend !
This very real, all of it and Yes Vishen, it is You you opened the door and Welcomed me home, it is you who calls me on me and you are right, Bang on, and I am becoming Teachable.
Now, i am off to power wash a vacation rental and cut some samples and possibly do a follow up to my message to the Prime Minister of Canada
and then watched the Video again that my Rockstar Daughter sent about her Work at an area museum.
Living life at an accelerated pace on a wild ride with moments of dizziness, a few tantrums and some tears on the floor of the ride as I curl up and hold my stomach. The Visibility Wound, Yes. thank you again. We continue.
Sean James Deakin MB
my title stands for Medal of Bravery given by Canada’s governor General for a unsuccessful save of a Suicidal Man .
Beautifully worded, Vishen, thank you.
This really resonated with me. Every single word. It seems the dormant energy wants to get out in the world and plant a seed, more sustainable than solar energy and more empowered than a religious belief.
And still – urgh.
I reckon the smallest step is no step at all. It is a vision of how easy and good the thing feels before it is created. Like a child dreaming of a Christmas gift long before it comes, playing with the new game in their mind, involving their friends and sharing a moment of joy before the moment actually arrives – if ever. And they leave it there.
I think what kills the joy of the moment and enhances the fear of failure and the resorting to procrastination is killing the dream in the egg, before it had the chance to even hatch and spread its wings. As an adult, I focus so much on what could go wrong that I totally forget why I wanted to write that great Fantasy or Scifi novel in the first place. I think I lack courage, that thing I had as a kid, that energy that has been drained by hopeless grown-ups feeding on that soul of mine along my lifeline.
I am conscious I did the same to myself, as an adult, repeating what I have learned from generation onto generation, the guilt and the shame being strong in my family, passed from one woman onto the next. Learning to love myself is the beginning of the journey. Not big things, but small things. Stretching in bed after a long night’s sleep, eating a slice of pizza, savouring a square of chocolate, vanishing into the exhuberant beauty of a sunset. Small things to sediment the love of myself, every day. Just as I do now while writing these lines.
I post these words, sounding like a novel of their own. They might move, inspire, let you smile. The experience is yours to feel and remember and keep. To me, however, only two words count in the whole. And these are which that follow, these I haven’t written yet, these I no longer need to hide because they symbolize my identity, show my vulnerability, expose my entire me, yet revealing nothing from what I am and could be. And yet, here I am.
Thank you, Vishen, for offering us the opportunity to open up.
I’ve often been told by friends—and nearly everyone I’ve met over the past few years—that I have an energy that lights up every room I enter. Although I recognize this gift, something still holds me back from fully shining my light.
Dear Vishan : The Summit was really an Eye opener and a very wonderfully Insightful event with many take aways. So just thought of dropping in my heartfelt wishes and thoughts. Life is sure a Mirage and as we keep evolving, discovering, rediscovering and re evolving as many times as needed, it does bring about a shift .. a shift in mindset, perspective, thoughts, expression and even how we see ourselves through the varied events and phases of life as it unfolds in its own way, sometimes visibly well and sometimes invisibly and chaotically, but always on the go.. moving subtly and surely.
There could be many invisible bind spots in every soul’s journey and the bets we could is acknowledge and adapt as best as we can. And the Learnings become the Evolved us over a period of time, when we reflect back.
Reflecting on your wonderful message and encouragement to everyone to adapt on this forthcoming way of been loudly and assuredly seen.. it resonates and inspires and hopefully bear fruits subtly and surely in times ahead.
Keep spreading the Love and Light 💕✨✨
You are absolutely on point Vishen.. i have been following Mindvalley since 2012, i was so inspired to work there but couldn’t make myself submit the small video required in the application. For years made myself small, dimmed my light and stayed in a shell. But as i turn 50 in a few days, i have decided to take the bold step and start my own account on IG because I can’t let fear define me anymore. What if tomorrow is the last day of my life and my voice remains unheard forever..
Hi Vishan,
I absolutely loved the summit. I had so many ah-ha moments, at least a couple from every speaker! When ‘being seen’ was mentioned, I reclined back in my chair and thought, oh shit, here we go again, got to get on camera. I know where this came from – the extremely shy child put on stage at 7 to present a bouquet of flowers and card to a guest at a performance that my Dad was a part of the choir. I dropped the card. I stood on the card. I picked up the card with a dusty impression of my shoe printed on the envelope, handed her the card and flowers in front of 2,000 people. I was mortified. Also, being told by someone else, ‘Who would want to listen to you?’ I consciously know both meant no harm and their way of ‘helping” but even at 55, both instances have stayed with me. I was also told I shouldn’t combine my love and belief in spiritual practices with natural beauty products in one business. Following the weekend, I decided to do so, and ‘balls’ to anyone who doesn’t like it! My tribe is out there…somewhere. Thank you so much for the encouragement, the moments of clarity, and the ‘it’s ok to be sucky’, which made me giggle!
Thank you Vishen, for this incredible message. It strikes deep into my core. I”ve felt this fear most of my life and am still fearful of being myself, of sharing who I am with others. Last summer I broke through a lot of my painful memories and history. It was a very healing, transformative experience where I saw the negative experiences I’d clung to with anger, resentment and pain, and realized that they were the fertilizer that made me who I am. I felt such forgiveness for all that and particularly for myself. I was clinging to those things and feeling insignificant and afraid to stand up and be me. I’ve started sharing that inner awareness and my authenticity with others and a huge weight has been lifted. I’m working on a book to share that healing experience so others can benefit from that. Your message of the visibility fear resonates within me. I’ve carried that security shield for many years. I will be 68 this summer. It’s time for me to shed that heavy shield and reveal that inner loving being that I have become. I feel blessed to be a member of MindValley and that your team has made this information available. Some fear is still holding me back from reaching out completely. Blessings to you and all who are ready to rise beyond that fear. In love and gratitude. max
Amazing I have massively suffered from this and not released any of my music bar one track I quickly deleted, tomorrow I start again after receiving some new music gear and this email arrives absolutely incredible timing…. so on point, remarkable to see it all laid out clearly just when I’m trying again
I am enough. I am more than enough. I AM ME. I rock my world and the universe cradles it like a baby. Doing good to me and others only opens more doors that lead to happy tears, sweet sleep and melds my spirit with a high. That is heaven. 🤗❤️🙏
What an incredible 3-day seminar! I thoroughly enjoyed every session—so much so that I even rushed home to ensure I didn’t miss a single moment!
As I mentioned in one of my comments, I’m approaching my 73rd birthday, and while I would love to take on this exciting opportunity, I’ve made the decision not to. Being an entrepreneur and building Naturel Collagen Canada step by step on a global scale keeps me focused and committed to my path.
I will, however, continue following your journey, subscribing to your newsletters, and cheering on those who have taken the leap. This course is a significant investment, especially with the Canadian Dollar’s current value, but I have no doubt that those who commit will gain invaluable insights.
Wishing all the participants tremendous success on their entrepreneurial journey—I look forward to seeing where it takes you!
Jacqui Dunal
🌿 http://www.naturelcollagen.com
📲 @naturelcollagen
Vishen… I have been a follower since the inception of Mind Valley. I am 70 years young next week. 70 is the new 40! I feel and am told I look great. I say this to say your topic in this email so resonated with me it brought me to tears, realizing the veracity of all of your bullet points and how they pertained to me any my life’s journey. I have all of your books and The Code of the Extraordinary mind is still my Bible💓. Thank you so very much for this article…and you’re due for another book! I’m very much into geopolitics and and very much wishing to adopt Michael Jackson’s mantra “Heal the World; Make it a Better Place.” You certainly do your part with your Mind Valley platform, for which I am so grateful. Gotta go be big now, take off the shades and show up!☀️
This really spoke to me. I have been talking courses, getting certifications, backed by 25 years of fortune 50 experience all to prove that I am qualified to consult, yet I freeze and find every reason to stop and rethink and reanalyze my offer when I know I need to put my voice out there on SM. I don’t even post about my social life or family…is it imposter syndrome and visibility wounds. I wish I could just shed it as I know it is holding me back…
I receive your weekly newsletter and to be honest I don’t always get a chance to read it. For some reason I opened this one and I felt a if you were talking about and o me. For as long as I can remember I have always felt called to do motivational work but every time I take a step that, now it has a name, visibility wound shows up and o say all the things you mentioned in your email. I will read this email a few more times with the hopes of breaking through. Thank you.