Setting Up a Home-Based Business: Improving Your Self-Confidence
January 12th, 2012If you’ve decided to set up a home-based business and if you’re new to self-employment, you might begin to feel a little overwhelmed by all the things you have to consider. If you’re just starting out as a business owner, you might struggle with self-confidence and find it difficult to believe you can succeed. Have any of these thoughts occurred to you?
I’m not an entrepreneur; I’m just an ordinary person.
Running a business is only for people with special qualities – I don’t have those.
What if I fail?
I can’t do anything special.
Who would buy anything from me?
Business men and women are a different breed.
I don’t have the experience or the money to start a business.
I can guarantee you that those are thoughts every successful business person has had in their life. Some self-doubt is normal – if you had none whatsoever, you wouldn’t be human! But there’s a point where self-doubt tips over into low self-esteem and that is something that you CAN do something about.
One of the best ways to feel better about yourself is to achieve something. Start small – make a list of little things you can achieve today. I’m talking something as tiny as cleaning the kitchen sink, or returning a library book. Tick that off the list once you’ve done it.
Once you’ve achieved the little things, you can start to move onto bigger challenges as your confidence grows.
Sit down with a cup of whatever hot beverage you fancy, and make a list of everything that you’ve achieved already. And don’t say ‘I haven’t done anything or achieved anything.” Everyone has achieved something. Think back to the times where you were praised for something, when you managed to complete a task, the last time you felt proud of yourself. When you feel like you’re not getting anywhere, have a look at the list to remind yourself of past triumphs.
It’s important to try and surround yourself with positive people. The sad truth is that some people you know may be very threatened by your determination to make a better life for yourself. When you begin to test the boundaries of your comfort zone and move out into uncharted waters, this shines a light on other peoples’ inability to take control of their own lives – and this can be very uncomfortable for them. Unfortunately, you may find that people you know are dismissive or downright scornful of your attempts at self-improvement and may, consciously or unconsciously, sabotage you.
There’s not much you can do about this but it’s helpful to be aware that some people can react like this, and to try not to be affected by their negativity. This is why building yourself a support network of people who do get it is so important. This might mean joining local networking groups where others are on the same journey as you, or chatting in online forums, or finding a mentor or a partner. Having someone on your side – someone who ‘gets it’ – will be invaluable as you begin to build your business.