“Pain plus reflection equals progress.”
Welcome to Episode 84: Dealing With Self-Doubt As An Entrepreneur
People say that entrepreneurs are crazy. And well, maybe they’re a tad right!
However, we are the ones who change the world AND get to live our dream doing it ... purpose, change, freedom, and maybe even a little fame. And due to those factors, it seems that more and more people want to become an entrepreneur. And with all that lifestyle greatness that comes along with the title, why not?
However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows! I’m not going to sugar coat things … Being an entrepreneur is hard! Practically. Emotionally. Psychologically. Physically. And it’s not for everyone -- and that’s okay.
But you must keep your entrepreneurial flame alive and do whatever it takes to keep that flame from burning out. Entrepreneurship isn’t as “sexy” as it sounds. And we need to learn to accept the fact that there are loads of things we can’t control -- no matter how badly we want to. And one of the not-so-sexy things about entrepreneurship is when self-doubt comes a knockin’ on our virtual doorstep …!
Here's what we will be untangling in this episode ...
- Why self-doubt is a natural human emotion
- How you can conquer this inner demon
- The hard truth on rising levels
- My open-hearted letter to you (resiliency)
Are you ready?
Pop in your awesome earbuds and let's dive in!
People say that entrepreneurs are crazy. And well, maybe they’re a tad right!
However, we are the ones who change the world AND get to live our dream doing it ... purpose, change, freedom, and maybe even a little fame. And due to those factors, it seems that more and more people want to become an entrepreneur.
And with all that lifestyle greatness that comes along with the title, why not?
However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows!
I’m not going to sugar coat things … Being an entrepreneur is hard! Practically. Emotionally. Psychologically. Physically.
And it’s not for everyone -- and that’s okay.
But you must keep your entrepreneurial flame alive and do whatever it takes to keep that flame from burning out. And by being here today, listening to Digital Glue podcast episodes, that means you’ve already taken your first step and noticed your feelings of the unknown, perhaps even some self-doubt, a bit of languish, a heck of a lot of exhaustion -- and admitted it early.
Quite truthfully, the sooner this first step happens the better.
Less stress equals less struggle.
Entrepreneurship isn’t always as “sexy” as it sounds. And we need to learn to accept the fact that there are loads of things we can’t control -- no matter how badly we want to.
And one of the not-so-sexy things about entrepreneurship is when self-doubt comes a knockin’ on our virtual doorstep …
Self-doubt (or even just doubt in general) is a natural part of being human -- and entrepreneurs aren’t immune to it. In our efforts to be better, create better offerings and deliver as much value as possible to our customers, we feel there’s always something missing. We worry about the path not taken or the what-if of every situation. We’re always wearing too many hats and juggling so many responsibilities and risks while we try to overcome every single obstacle in our daily business lives.
If you think about it, there’s almost no time at all to deal with our feeling of self-doubt. And that’s not a good thing if we want to reach our bigger dreams and business goals.
Self-doubt can kill your success and prevent you from reaching your fullest potential. But it doesn’t have to be this way …
To prevent self-doubt from getting in the way and to help you overcome this feeling in a more productive (and healthy) way, try these approaches to help you conquer your inner demons and gremlins …
- Expect that it’s going to happen -- no matter what.
- Continuously push yourself out of your comfort zone box.
- Cust yourself some slack and quit beating yourself up.
- Fight your feelings of inferiority -- your great and you know it.
- Blame and re-evaluate your tactics -- not your talent.
- Create confidence through preparation.
- Keep your momentum flowing -- in moderation is better than nothing.
- Remember that you can’t make all the rules, but you can break some.
- Be proactive -- don’t ignore your feelings. Figure them out and make a plan.
Hard truth: We will honestly never completely be rid of self-doubt, and we shouldn’t try to make it so. These feelings can be good for us. They will keep us in line and remind us of what we’re working towards. They can also ignite in us a drive to improve, to get better at the things we’re doing, and to grow just a little bit more -- each day.
On the flipside …
Rising levels of self-doubt can become crippling in our line of work and lifestyle. And it might even be these fears that keep some folks from taking the leap into the wonderful world of entrepreneurship in the first place. But by keeping everything I shared with you today in your virtual back pocket and putting them to good use anytime you feel your confidence lacking, you will begin to realize that improvement is not just possible but necessary. You will learn to give yourself a rest from all the harsh and negative self-talk. You will be able to better avoid comparison syndrome. And you will become one with your growth mindset, thus being able to better reply on the values and intentions you set for yourself and your business which will keep you as solid as a rock.
“Resilience is the virtue that enables people to move through hardship and become better.”
Real change is difficult at the beginning (no matter what type of change it is), but gorgeous at the end. Change begins the moment you get the courage and step outside your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.
You’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to be told by many people that what you’re trying to accomplish simply can’t be done BUT it’s our “crazy” strategies and tactics that are going to change the world. The path isn’t always easy, and the survival rate is sometimes low. But it’s the mental tools that keep our journey intact.
Time and time again, you have heard me talk about the importance of the foundation of a story. One with courage, resiliency, and strength. I don’t see self-doubt in there, do you?
Now it’s time to think back to your story … look at how far you’ve come! Now think about the story you want to create … And every time that fear comes banging at your virtual door … let yourself out and conquer it!
I wanted today’s “untangling” episode to be short, sweet, and to the point. But I also wanted to end things off with something a bit different. So, with my purest thoughts, undying honestly, and courageous vulnerability, here is my open-hearted letter to you ...
Dear Digital Glue Insider,
It’s human nature to avoid pain and seek pleasure. Some of us take risks while others play it safe. Some of us see problems and answers while other see the status quo. Some of us feed off our comfort zones while others see hiding behind this as failure. The path isn’t always easy, and the survival rate is bleak. But it’s the mental tools that keep our journey intact. And one of those especially important tools is resilience.
Having this ability is crucial if you want your business to grow and last. And like any shift in thinking … it does not happen overnight. We need to be practical with the steps we choose to take on our path to build resilience and become better equipped to handle issues, difficult clients, not-so-strong team members and setbacks as we grow our business. Especially in the start-up phases.
Fear holds us back.
Dark cloudy days and setbacks are unavoidable and surely not pleasant.
However, they also have the potential to be your engine of personal growth. The difference between success and failure comes down to who is willing to stick it out in the smartest ways possible. And that’s resilience.
“Pain plus reflection equals progress.”
So, see yourself as a fighter. Go with the gifts you were given. Trust your gut. (It’s always right!) Take time to re-boot. Be gracious about your losses. (Even ones that shatter your world!) Learn as you go. Do not give up. Keep reminding yourself why you are doing this worthy work because who better to take it on than you. And believe in yourself, because then others will believe in you too!
With Loads of Virtual Love;
From ME (and team VU) … to YOU!