Whether you work solo or are heading up an organisation, we all sometimes find our confidence wane. Indeed, it’s hard to stay motivated when there’s nobody above you to pat you on the back.
Self-esteem, or lack of it, can eat away at your productivity, your motivation, your well-being, and your business itself.
Read these five ways to combat those bad thoughts:
Take time out
Low self-belief can signal a larger issue: burnout, indeed the elephant in the room that every entrepreneur ignores. Exercise, meditation, a hobby or even something as simple as playing a computer game can be an all-encompassing distraction, meaning you take time away from your work, and remember you’re good at plenty of things. By resting and doing a completely different activity, you’ll feel rejuvenated and ready to face the world head-on once again. This is especially important if you work from home. Go and get some daylight!
Keep a success log
Document every win, no matter how small, and compliments that you receive. You could be achieving sales targets, have received a glowing review or a big sponsor, be maintaining mailing list growth, or perhaps even a Alexa ranking milestone. Write down your achievements, and refer to your list when you feel a wobble coming on. Lean thinking encourages a success board as part of a larger communication cell (comm cell) as favoured by many a large organisation in 2015, and can be adopted to any organisation no matter how large or small.
Dress the part
If you’re a home-working startupper, it’s easy to form bad habits around the question, “which pyjamas should I wear today?” Dressing up and making the effort will help you feel deserving of life you are crafting for yourself. Switch-up accessories to maintain individuality, and sit up straight at your desk. By dressing smarter and altering your posture, you’ll give off the right self-assured body language messages to others, as well as yourself.
Face your ‘limitations’ head-on
What is it that’s making you feel this way? What are your self-perceived barriers to success? Make a roadmap to combat it.
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Write down each negative thought, and then next to it, the ideal solution. For example: “I don’t know anyone in the industry”. The solution would be to have contacts and names. Now work out the actions you can take to get those contacts. Join a networking circle, email people and ask for advice. Getting things on paper (not an app) will help you visualise your blockers. Remember to add each achievement to your success log.
Remember, it’s okay
Even the most successful of entrepreneurs encounters moments of self-criticism. It’s a natural feeling that they’ve learned to both accept and combat. Your self-belief rut will wane, although perhaps occasionally come back, but by having the tools to manage it, you won’t be letting it keep you down for long.
