My Mindset Journey Part 2
My Mindset Journey Part 2
There are a lot of people will tell you about starting your own business, but the one thing I believe that no one tells you is how much of a mental strain it can be. It really does take a lot out of you, mentally and physically, but you are always told that it'll be worth it in the end. Well, how can that be when you never see the results right? It's such a struggle to see the end goal when you are in the day to day, but we are all told that you will retire sooner, pay off loans faster and be happier than at your mundane 9-5. That is partially true, but what no one ever tells us, is this deep fear that you have within yourself that you will never be good as your competitor won't ever go away. No one ever tells you how much in the hole you will be before you actually start seeing any ROI and no one ever tells you how lonely you will feel amongst other people, even entrepreneurs.
Comparison is the Thief of Joy!
I'm actually thinking about creating a poster board with that saying. In the beginning, I felt very lonely (and I sometimes, still do) about my venture into entrepreneurship. I am the only one in my family and one of the very few out of all of my friends that ever did anything like this. I can see why. Entrepreneurship is very scary; it takes time, dedication and so much patience, but you get back your freedom from being a worker bee. There's nothing more than I find that kills your entrepreneurial dreams the most than comparing yourself to other people! I've compared myself to so many people in the past, thinking "OMG I am not as good as this person" or "Wow I wish I could pick up as well as this person did with their business". Not anymore! In fact, a lot of my "competitors" which some of you may have gone to, are my friends! Comparing is good but don't use it as a negative.
My Loneliness is Killing Me
There's a lot of nights (like tonight as I am writing my blog), that I am very much alone, eating whatever is in my fridge or takeout that I have, and working. It's a very lonely job (unless you have partners in your business then it's not so lonely). I try to get out and have fun as much as I can, believe me. It's hard when you are constantly in front of a screen all day to do things, but the sacrifice is a part of the job. Or is it really? I have been reading up on some new age stuff about entrepreneurship and the belief that you have to sacrifice and be lonely in your life to achieve great things is a myth. Working smart, not hard is definitely an art I have yet to master. It's definitely easier said than done, but it won't stop me from trying!
What Can We All Do?
I think the best thing we can do for ourselves, our mindset, and for the betterment of our society is to be supportive of each other. I am talking about everyone, but I do want to single out women for a second here. There is this myth out there that women don't really support each other and based on what I've experienced, that's the furthest from the truth. Uplifting each other's spirits is quite possibly one of the best things that entrepreneurs can do for other entrepreneurs. I am involved in so many groups, but there are definitely a few where I am so honored to be a part of. One of the groups is Rachel Pedersen's Social Media United Facebook Groups. one of the best out there right now. If you are a woman entrepreneur wanting to learn more about social media, you should definitely look into her after you take your free masterclass with me of course, (COMING SOON!), if you want to learn more about you to make your social media manager dreams into a reality.
Mindset is Hard!
It's really hard getting into a good mindset where you know you are going to kick major booty in whatever you do. For someone that has dealt with a lot of mental health issues, the feeling of being good enough for anything is tough. It's a lot easier said than done, but once you get there you will feel great. Or so I am told. Self-doubt is a big part that comes with entrepreneurship as well and if you aren't ready to battle self-doubt you can fail at it pretty easily. Getting in the right mindset for becoming the best you that you can be can take a lot out of you. No one ever said that mindset was easy and it's up to you (and me) to make the most out of it!