At some point in our lives, we have questioned whether we are doing enough, making enough money, or if we are going to be “successful” enough and that’s scary as an entrepreneur.
It’s scary to be doubting yourself on a constant basis. Working to achieve what other’s want from you instead of what you want to achieve can leave you over-worked. Self-doubt can hurt you, making you may feel inadequate, overwhelmed, and insecure.
So how do we stop you from falling into the negative well?
Stop comparing your achievements to your friend’s achievements
I find that I doubt myself the most when I’m comparing myself to others. When I compare my accomplishments to others, I start to worry “oh they did this and that, why couldn’t I think of that?”. The achievements of others aren’t there to grade your own success.
One key thing to remember as an entrepreneur when you find yourself in this mental pattern is that everyone is on their own journey. You’re awesome in your own way.
Forget about what everyone else is thinking of you as an entrepreneur
When you care about what everyone else is thinking of you, you limit yourself to being safe. You’d rather do nothing and not get judged than do something and risk criticism. Risk taking is a big characteristic for an entrepreneur. Worrying about what other people think of you will continue to hold you back from doing something potentially amazing for yourself.
Change your body language and image
This is where posture, smiling, eye contact, and speaking slowly comes into play. Just the simple act of pulling your shoulders back gives others the impression that you are a confident person. Smiling will not only make you feel better but will make others feel more comfortable around you.
Look at the person you are speaking to, not at your shoes–keeping eye contact shows confidence. Finally, speak slowly. Research has proved that those who take the time to speak slowly and clearly feel more self-confident and appear more self-confident to others. The added bonus is they will actually be able to understand what you are saying.
