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Self belief is the first step to business success

Self belief is the first step to business success

Self belief is the first step to business success

We’re almost at the end of another week and I’ve been thinking about what factors determine business success.

Is your business where you want it to be?

Do you feel like you’re not getting any traction and you just work, work, work without ever reaching your goals?

Before you go looking for a business coach or a magic bullet to solve all your problems, look inwards.

For the last seven years I’ve worked with creative business owners to help them grow their businesses. Some have gone on to build what they set out to, others haven’t.

The main difference between the two groups?

Self-belief.

The group that believe they can do it have gone on to achieve what they wanted. They followed the strategies I created for them and it worked.

The other group, didn’t follow the strategies, at least not for very long and I think this was partly out of fear. Fear that the strategies are not going to work because they’re different to what other people are doing. Fear they they might work and then they have no excuse for being unhappy. Fear that it will be too much work or that they are somehow not cut out to be a business owner. Fear manifests in so many different ways but ultimately it holds people back no matter how irrational the fear is.

If you want a successful business, it starts with you.

The first step?

Believing you can do it.

Even though I believe in you, I can’t make you believe in yourself. Even though you may get the help of a business strategist or coach, it won’t make an impact on your business if you don’t follow through and do the work. You need to believe the strategies are going to work but more than that, believe that YOU are the right person to implement them.

No-one can solve your business woes except you.

Here are a few things that might work for you if you feel like you are lacking in self-belief:

Stop thinking about what other people think when you make a business decision. Your business needs to work for you, not your peers. Be proud and confident to do things your way.

Get rid of the limiting beliefs you have about yourself. If you start to say “I can’t do that” or “I’m not the type of person who…” reframe that in a positive way with “I can do it!”

Focus on your strengths. You are an amazing human being. You can do things no-one else can do. You have ideas, unique to you. Celebrate this. When you feel like you can’t do something, remember all the things you can do instead. Then use this as motivation to go out and learn what you need to move forwards.

See yourself doing it. Develop the vision of you doing whatever it is that you need to believe you can do or be. If you can see yourself doing it you are more likely to believe in it. If you feel like your business will never make a profit, imagine that it is. How would you act differently? How would your life be different? Would you make different choices?

What impact could believing in yourself have on your business?

Why you need to buy your domain name now

Why you need to buy your domain name now

Picture the scenario. You have found the perfect vintage dress to wear to the party of the year. It’s one of a kind. You will not find another one like it. It’s in impeccable condition, you try it on and it fits like it was made for you. You place it back on the hanger because you are not quite sure if you should buy it today.

SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND:

  • I can buy it later

  • I can’t justify the cost right now

  • I’m not ready to commit yet

  • No-one else will want it

  • I’ll come back after pay day

You walk away with that nagging feeling but essentially you know you shouldn’t buy it until you are sure.

Pay day comes and off you skip to the shop. The party is tomorrow and you’ve had time to think. You know the dress is the one and you can’t wait to wear it. You have even bought accessories to go with it, the perfect bag, shoes and necklace.

Then disaster strikes.

THE DRESS IS GONE. IT WAS SOLD TO SOMEONE ELSE.

What do you do? You can either try and track down the buyer and offer them lots more money, you can try and find another dress that fits with the accessories you have already bought to go with it or you can just start again from scratch despite losing money and put the experience behind you.

Now imagine instead of the perfect dress, it the perfect domain name. It’s the name of your Etsy shop and it fits your business perfectly. You already have business cards printed with your shop name, a blog, facebook page and twitter all under the same name.

Can you really take the risk of waiting to buy your dot.com?

Create your mark on the world

Create your mark on the world

Like so many people, I was made redundant. I felt devastated and pretty worthless after it happened. A million questions ran through my head including;

How was I going to pay the bills?

Who would want me now I’d been out of the workplace for almost a year on maternity leave?

How will I find another job in a recession let alone something family friendly and flexible?

Behind all these thoughts and questions was a whisper of an idea.

Maybe I could start a business.

Just a whisper. So quiet, I could hardly hear it. So delicate, it could have easily been crushed aside with the other questions vying for time in my head.

But it wasn’t.

Now I’m doing what I love. I get to work with creative and inspiring business owners everyday. People like you who create things from scratch, things that would not be here in the world without your hands. I get to help you try and achieve success. I get to listen and advise, help you grow.

I’m lucky aren’t I? Did it all just fall in my hands? No. Did I work hard to get here? More than you’ll ever know.

Is it worth it?

Undoubtedly.

Are you doing what you love?

Are you throwing yourself into your passion, everyday, creating your mark on the world in a way the world deserves?

Are you coasting along, happy but not truly happy?

Are you creating work that you live and breathe for? Are you proud of it? Do you smile broadly from ear to ear when showing it to others?

Or are you apologetic, mumbling ‘here’s something I threw together’, ‘it’s just a little business that I have’, ‘I make some things a few people might like to buy’.

What are you waiting for?

Here is the world people. It’s in our hands.

It’s not too late to make a change.

Take the leap, discover your destiny. Strive forward, making your mark. Be loud and so very proud of what you do.

You are amazing, seriously.

Now go and make your mark.