Are you worried about your business right now?

I’m going to guess that yes you are – everyone is at some point. The world challenges us all. It seems that the right time to focus on your business is always yesterday or tomorrow – any time but right now. Yesterday is already gone and tomorrow never comes – how true is this saying? 

Today is all we have. So, with that in mind let’s talk about what is stopping you from moving forward in your business.

I am talking about your biggest enemy – YOU! 

Moreover, I’m talking about your mind. The pesky things, they can either be your biggest cheerleader or your worst enemy. Social media is overflowing with quotes to inspire you to keep going, as well as success stories about people who seem to be killing it in their business. And while this is true for some people, a lot of people use social media to make their lives seem better than they actually are. A lot of people are just living life with a “fake it till you make it”  mindset.  

Social media is overflowing with quotes to inspire you to keep going, as well as success stories about people who seem to be killing it in their business. And while this is true for some people, a lot of people use social media to make their lives seem better than they actually are.

Maybe you’ve heard the term ‘Fakebook’ before?

We can become intimidated by all the shiny things around us – on the internet especially! But here’s a newsflash for you – everything isn’t always as it seems. We all love a good story where the ordinary person gets to be the hero – where the underdog that rises up to defeat an enemy. 

But I want to share something with you – You can be that hero.   

How do I know this? Because I know that you can turn things around by simply changing your mindset. It doesn’t mean things won’t be hard, it doesn’t mean it won’t take blood, sweat, time, and more than likely a few tears. What I need you to understand is that this isn’t impossible.  

If you take anything away from this article, take away hope.   

Growth Mindset versus Fixed Mindset

Carol Dweck spoke with Harvard Business Review to discuss how mindset influences outcomes. She defines mindsets as either being “fixed mindsets” or “growth mindsets”. 

Having a fixed mindset means that you have a belief that your qualities, intelligence, talent and innate ability will provide you with success. Whereas people who have a growth mindset believe that their basic talent and ability can be developed over time with experience and mentorship. 

People with growth mindsets are generally more successful than those with fixed mindsets.  

People with growth mindsets are generally more successful than those with fixed mindsets. #businessmindset #fempiremagazine Click To Tweet

It can be difficult to move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. You need to change your way of thinking. The most common way a fixed mindset slips out of your mind and into your life is via excuses. These are (mostly) completely false! It’s just a way of thinking. 

Here are some examples so you can recognise when you are slipping into a fixed mindset.

“I cannot do it!”. What this really means –  I am afraid to let myself take personal responsibility for my life thriving.

“I don’t have time”. What this really means – I lack the ability to manage my time with priorities and opportunities.

“I don’t know how to do it”. What this really means – Unwilling to accept the challenge to learn something new.

“My family doesn’t support me”. What this really means – I am using others as an excuse to stay in the safety of what I know.

Can you change your mindset and achieve the success you want?

Yes, you can. 

By concentrating your thinking and consciously changing your thought processes, you can begin to challenge your fixed mindset. 

Here’s how you can start to change your mindset!

If you recognise any of the fixed mindset traits in yourself, you have to be willing to change these habits so that you can become more open to learning and opportunity.

Is it that simple?

It may sound simplistic to say that your business needs you to have a positive or growth mindset for success, but it’s more difficult than you think. The question is, is it worth all the effort? 

Let me explain this in a way that might demonstrate to you the power that mindset has.  Below I’ve listed four reasons your mindset could be impacting your business directly.

You are Undervaluing Yourself

One problem I encounter again and again in coaching female entrepreneurs is the issue of charging what you are worth. Low pricing undervalues your offering in the eyes of the market and if you are undervaluing yourself to your target market, then they will undervalue as well.

Low pricing undervalues your offering in the eyes of the market and if you are undervaluing yourself to your #targetmarket, then they will undervalue as well. #businesstips #fempiremagazine Click To Tweet

You Fear Rejection

Many people hide behind a fear of rejection. What are you worried will happen? Perhaps that nobody will buy your service or product? But that isn’t a rejection of you personally, that’s simply a rejection of the service or product in its current form. It could be for any reason, maybe it’s because of the way you are communicating your offering. You could be targeting the wrong market. These things are not personal, but rather they are things that can be evaluated and corrected with time.

You are Unwilling to Change with the Times

This is a difficult challenge to overcome. Your own stubbornness could be your undoing. The world is constantly changing and evolving. In this technological age, it is happening at a pace that’s difficult to keep up with. It is important to accept that change is a part of life and a part of business. 

The world is constantly changing and evolving.

You see so many cases where businesses have refused to change and as a result went out of business. Accept that nothing stays the same and that you must constantly be learning and changing the way you do things. To stay relevant to your target market you need to change – because they are changing too.

You don’t Understand Your Finances

I speak with so many women who do not want to take responsibility for their finances. This fixed mindset manifests itself as excuses. They tell me “I am not a bookkeeper, I was never any good at maths”. But as a business owner, it is your responsibility to at least learn the basics. This does not require any particular abilities other than the willingness to take the time needed to learn. 

We all learn differently and your memories of maths or accounting classes at school are not good enough excuses to stop you from learning now. YouTube for example, is a great resource as it’s full of content taught in many different  styles. There’s something for everyone and with it I believe you can learn just about anything!

Don’t live a life of regret having missed every great opportunity because of an excuse. An opportunity is only made great when you take it and turn it into something great.  

Don’t live a life of regret having missed every great opportunity because of an excuse. An opportunity is only made great when you take it and turn it into something great. #fempreneur #empoweringwomen #fempiremagazine Click To Tweet

Are you still with me?  

If you have read this far you must still have some glimmer of hope that you’ll find the magic potion to turn your business into what you want it to be. Well here it is – YOU are the hope, you are the magic potion. Nobody else can do this for you – it’s all on you. 

So change your mindset now. If it’s hard – work through it. When you don’t know something – learn. If you need help – ask. Or if it isn’t working – change it.  

If you hit a roadblock then move it, go around it or change direction. As a business coach, I can help you with your mindset, teach you skills and help you focus on a direction you can move in, but ultimately it is up to you to do the work.

You are the author of your own life – what will you write?

Do you have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset? Let us know in the comments below!