Society worships successful entrepreneurs – the small handful of individuals who become successful enough to make it to the public’s attention. However, that does not do much to compliment those that exist still building their company and not that well known. In some cases, it can be very insulting to them.
Because of this (and their own doubts about their personal abilities), many entrepreneurs struggle with fear and self-doubt. They wonder if they can really do the things they ask them to do. It looks like a really big challenge.
The excellent news is that there are numerous tactics you can use to overcome fear and self-doubt. You haven’t got to give in to nagging voices telling you it cannot be done. When you take action, magic happens.
So, precisely, what should you do? Let’s see.
Stop thinking of yourself as a fraud
Believing you’re a fraud is maybe the biggest thing holding back an entrepreneur. They see the success of industry giants and wonder how they can live up to those standards.
The trick here is to recognize it no entrepreneur really knows what is going on, even the most successful. Many succeed through sheer luck or through the power of society to support their brash ideas, and take them for granted.
The entrepreneur’s path involves stepping into new territory and doing something different. That’s the point. The trick is to forget about your personal abilities. The real value is taking the contrarian position of being right when everybody else is wrong.
Acknowledge Your Feelings
The next step is admitting your feelings. Don’t ignore or suppress your fears and self-doubt because these sensations generally tell you something.
Instead of denying or judging yourself for them, see them for who they really are and ask if that makes sense. Even if things go wrong, is it worth it to be afraid?
Trick Yourself Into a Role
Furthermore, if you’re the type of person who has trouble filling the entrepreneurial role and it just is not right for you, then you can try diverse tricks to make your experience more convincing. For example, you can use a call answering service to emulate the experience of having a private secretary. Or you can all the time book business class when you fly to help you land the role (even if it is expensive). Do things that make you feel like a boss.
Challenge Your Mind
Another great strategy is to challenge your mind. Fear and self-doubt often stem from negative or irrational thoughts you have about yourself and your abilities. They aren’t all the time right.
For example, you may think you’ll fail and others will reject you, or everything will go wrong. This is most likely your default position in life.
When this sort of thing happens, ask yourself probing questions. Take your assumptions head-on by asking what is the worst that could occur and how likely it’s? What can you do about it, and what’s the most realistic outcome?
If you sit down and examine the task of entrepreneurship in this way, you’ll find that the negative feelings begin to subside. Usually, you will find there’s real value in what you do, even if it is not instantly apparent.
Take action
Another great way to overcome fear and self-doubt is to take action. Once you start moving in the world, you generate the force of momentum. This phenomenon can act like a flywheel, charging positive emotions without leaving room for negative emotions.
When you take action, you prove to yourself that you can do something and you can learn from your mistakes. It also indicates that you can overcome obstacles in your way. Don’t let fear and self-doubt stop you from taking the first step or the next. Continue to work slowly, breaking tasks into manageable chunks. Don’t focus on the end goal. Instead, ask yourself what you can do Now.
Get Support
The next phase is getting support. You haven’t got to face your fears and self-doubt. There are people out there who will be in the same situation as you and understand how difficult the mind can be. They could be your family, but ideally, they would be a professional or someone a bit distant from your closest social circle.
This person should offer emotional support, practical advice, constructive feedback, or positive encouragement. They can even play a role in challenging negative thoughts and emotional patterns.
