Negative thoughts, and certain actions or sayings, can prevent you from accomplishing a goal. They steer you away from the bigger picture, deterring you from whatever you’re trying to accomplish.
In order to start a business, you want to have a clear and positive frame of mind. After all, you will get enough negativity from the challenges you will soon face. So to prepare you for pushing through imminent dark days and long nights, work on strengthening that mindset first.
Here are five breakups I had with myself that helped me keep a positive outlook when launching my new business. I don’t have all the answers, but breaking up with these taught me some valuable lessons and allowed me to grow as an entrepreneur.
1. Self-doubt
Self-doubt can discourage you from going after what you believe. Do not let this happen to you. Let go of the fear of failing and open your heart and mind to positive thoughts. Work hard for what you believe in. No matter what your dream is, you have the power to start.
2. The “I quit” attitude
“I quit.” People who use this phrase often have a laundry list of excuses as to why they cannot complete something. Make sure you are not one of these people.
Think to yourself, “Why am I quitting?” Did you quit because it’s hard work? You don’t have enough time? There is no immediate payoff?
Whatever the reason, if this is your dream, find a solution. There is no quitting in the race to the finish line of your dreams. Don’t quit because something went wrong. Don’t quit because you are tired, and there’s not enough time in the day. Don’t quit because you just don’t want to try.
3. Procrastinating
Tomorrow… next week…next month… is already too late. Today is where you need to start. I have coached many people who have said, “Thanks for the coaching session. I feel so inspired and motivated that I am going to start tomorrow.”
Why not start today? There are plenty of things you can do today. Start by figuring out your goals, plans, what you want to accomplish, why you want to start a business. Putting things off is another excuse for not having to try and work hard for your goals.
I’ve tried the whole, “I’ll wait and see what falls in my lap” angle, and it does not work. You actually have to put in the hard work. There is no easy route to becoming an entrepreneur.
4. Being ungrateful
Let’s start here: you are breathing. You are healthy. You are smart. You are beautiful. And most of all, if you are reading this article, it’s because you have the drive and urge to do something more with the life you have been given.
So be thankful for what you do have. When building a business from the ground up, you will quickly learn to be grateful for the small things given to you. Never be ungrateful and impatient due to the slow process and challenges endured by being a startup.
5. Trying to do it all
You can do anything you put your mind to, but you cannot do everything all at once. Your goals can only be reached with persistence, hard work, and doing a bit more each day.
Allowing yourself to burn out early will only frustrate and discourage you from seeing and achieving the bigger picture. Pace yourself for the long haul. Hire professionals to save time and mistakes. Crawl. Walk. Run.
Photo credit: Conor McCabe Photography