Overcoming self-doubt and fear is the key to successful entrepreneurship.
The biggest obstacle for many creators is self-doubt. The ‘what if? ʼ factor. What if I fail? What if I have no customers? What if my concept is flawed? So many lingering questions motivated by fear.
This lack stems from an end-result mindset. Where we plan to go is a huge factor, but shouldnʼt be the sole driver. Instead, enjoy the journey and savor the process; this approach will enrich your experiences and help achieve wholistic goals along the way. Working for yourself is an everyday challenge. Expectations of “grand arrivals” are distractions. They can happen but stay away from self-praise and boastfulness. Simply put, keep moving, working, creating, and evolving. Defeat fear through humility and steady results.
If you do emphasize an exact finish line, you limit yourself and run the danger of plateauing after reaching the desired result. Fear creates this picture of how things should be. Active entrepreneurship tells a story of many surprises, so you have to be prepared to look at your vision with fresh eyes, and unique perspectives.
Remember the old adage, youʼre only as good as your last success. You may even set yourself up for feeling defeated when things donʼt go as planned. So stretch yourself, your vision needs you to be flexible. Those who reach the top do so through experiencing many failures, consistently quelling their fears, and finding ways to improve their product.
Self-doubt will pop up throughout your career, particularly as an entrepreneur. Here are two simple ways to redefine your fear to help you build a better you!
1. Rebuild your brain.
Sounds far-fetched, but itʼs so simple. Your thoughts are your own. You are what you are repeatedly telling yourself. Changing your thoughts is one of the fastest ways to overcoming fear and developing the courage needed to start, build, grown, and maintain. Write down and repeat daily affirmations that build you up and increase your systems of self-belief. Read books that help you change negative habits. A favorite of mind is Brendon Burchardʼs High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way. If you donʼt command your thoughts, youʼll live a life determined by the results of fear.
2. Think through your entrepreneurial plans and detail them to the best of your ability.
Doubt is heightened in the mind when we lack a clear vision for our lives. We worry and over-analyze situations because we havenʼt created a clear path to thrive within them. So set goals with structured plans on how to achieve them. Itʼs crucial to write down your thoughts, but even more important, to start and take action! When we begin and give a real consistent push, self-judgment and the what ifʼs begins to fade. Starting can bring real joy, so make sure you launch even if you donʼt feel like youʼre fully ready. When we donʼt write down our plans, we live in a reactionary state, driven by doubt.
Remember, fear is as only as powerful as you allow it to be.
Consistently check yourself through humility. Download positive and healthy thoughts and information. Write down your goals while making actionable plans to achieve them. If you do these things, you will live in a fearless space. Doubt will rear its head, but youʼll have a plan to thrive and overcome.
