If You Believe in Yourself and Your Business, You Will Be Successful
The saying that keeps me motivated no matter what
There’s no sugarcoating it. Being an entrepreneur is hard. Being a solopreneur is even harder. The highs are sky-high and the lows are dirt low.
It’s great to be excited and passionate about a business idea — but it’s quite another to actually turn a profit with it, sustain your customer’s interest, and keep it going.
Some days you feel on top of the world, and others, you feel like you’re spinning in circles, wondering if you should give up and go back to your boring, albeit financially stable, desk job.
When I was diagnosed with Chronic Adjustment Disorder (it’s not as serious as it sounds), self-mantras became my best friend. This was peak pandemic, and I was feeling pretty low — most of my insecurities stemming from a lack of belief in myself as a business owner.
Because I have a hard time coping with the typical life changes that most adults go through — like having a baby, getting married, switching career paths, and moving cities — Kate, my therapist, suggested I cope with the many changes happening in my life by coming up with two or three self-mantras, completely unique to me, to tape to my bathroom mirror and recite several times a day.
She said this would bring my spark back, and reawaken the part of me that felt dead inside.
Here’s what I came up with:
“I deserve to be happy”
“I will feel proud of myself today”
“I am a great writer”
I recited these every day as I was told, noticing a positive shift in my mindset just one week in. Then, little by little, I started feeling happier, calmer, and capable of the career success I had been craving.
These mantras became my guiding light that redirected me onto the self-confidence path I so desperately needed to be on — as a writer and creative professional — pushing to figure out how to make my business matter in the world.
After these mantras became embedded in my psyche, motivating me to push myself harder in spin class, be a more present mother to my son and a more understanding partner to my husband, my business idea (and persona) no longer seemed unachievable.
Because here’s the thing about telling yourself you are good and worthy and deserving of success — it applies to all areas of life.
Now, one year later, my self-confidence mantras have evolved into:
“I will focus on helping others instead of myself”
“I believe I can provide unique value to people who need it”
“I am worthy of good money for the work I’m doing”
If You Want People To Believe in Your Business, You Have To Believe in it First
As I’m sure you can relate, creative entrepreneurs are a unique breed of individuals who crave just as much attention as we do solace. We need just as much praise as we do critique in order to keep going. And oftentimes, we don’t know which one to side with, or which one is siding with us.
This is the reason believing in yourself is paramount to starting your business, and running it successfully.
Through the heaping stack of self-improvement books read, confidence podcasts listened to, and consultation calls had with business coaches, the one phrase I kept going back to in those discouraging, “should I keep going?” moments that all creative entrepreneurs feel was this:
“If you believe in your business and in yourself, you will be successful.”
THIS is now my forever mantra. It’s written on the first page of my gratitude journal, and it’s written on a bright pink post-it I have taped to my bathroom mirror. It gets me through the tough days, and makes me 10x more appreciative of the good days.
I truly believe so much of entrepreneurs’ missed opportunities and lost potential has everything to do with self-doubt. Mindset is everything when it comes to keeping yourself motivated in life, especially when that involves a risky, creative pursuit.
And while it took me a while to understand how powerful mindset shifts can be, I am so grateful I now have the mental health tools to keep me motivated each day doing what I love, being in service to my people, and having fun in the process.
If You Believe in Yourself & in Your Business, You Will Be Successful
If you’re feeling lost in your business (or your life in general), I’m here to tell you that (a) you are not alone and (b) YOU hold the power to find what it is that makes you and your creativity spark tick.
Recognize self-doubt when it pops up, and take time to really figure out where it’s coming from. Seek the help of a business mentor or therapist if you’re having trouble pinpointing why you can’t move past your mental blocks.
You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. Your ideas are valid, and you are going to be successful in your business because you know deep down it is a kickass idea that’s going to benefit your future customers. Keep believing in yourself. Keep believing in your business. Keep going.
Takeaways
Believe in yourself.
Believe in your business.
Find a mantra that motivates and excites you each day.
Despite the hard times, keep going.
