The business beliefs you hold are extremely powerful. They lead you to great success or epic failure. But how do you stay in control of your mindset so that you can prosper?
Fortunately, how you think about yourself and your business is entirely up to you.
To help you stop feeling stuck, we’re sharing five core business beliefs you need to adopt right now so that you can enjoy more success.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:53] Challenging Times Affect Your Mindset and Your Mood
[02:58] Challenging Times Affect Your Productivity
[06:33] How Fear Can Keep You Stuck in Your Business
[08:21] Limiting Beliefs have Consequences
[11:38] How to Reframe Negative Thoughts
[12:18] Why It’s Crucial to Change Your Limiting Beliefs
[12:44] Core Business Beliefs You Can Adopt to Achieve Success
[19:25] Why You Need to Embrace These Core Business Beliefs
[20:36] Bloopers
Challenging Times Affect Your Mindset and Your Mood
[Theresa] Hey Meghan. I’ve been doing a lot of self-reflection recently. Right now we are in challenging times. The most challenging I can remember in my lifetime. With COVID-19 keeping us isolated, peaking racial tensions around the globe, and anxiety and fear at a seemingly all-time high, it’s more crucial than ever to look inward.
It’s easy to be influenced in a negative way by outside factors. So, feeling sad, angry, and frightened is understandable. For entrepreneurs, there are many other layers thrown into the mix that goes beyond money. We’ve had many discussions about this.
[Meghan] We sure have. It’s such a bizarre time. I vacillate from angry to sad multiple times a day.
You know, you try to stay positive, but it feels like there’s a constant cloud of worry and doom hanging over us. Some days I’m good at ignoring the cloud. Other days, not so much.
[Theresa] I know what you mean about the cloud.
Professionally, many entrepreneurs have experienced a decline in business. And some have lost their businesses. Personally, a lot of people are devastated and exhausted as a result of the emotional rollercoaster we’re all on.
It hurts to watch something you put your heart and soul into building fall apart.
[Meghan] It certainly does hurt. It’s painful. I feel bad for everyone who’s struggling right now. What’s going on in the world today is affecting us on so many levels! There are business and economic aspects. Then there are the personal and emotional aspects. It’s overwhelming!
Challenging Times Affect Your Productivity
[Theresa] It is. You know, my coaching business pretty much came to a screeching halt a few weeks into quarantine. It was scary and I was worried. But I was angrier. As a result, many of my limiting beliefs started popping up. I wanted to crawl under a rock.
There were a couple of weeks where I didn’t do anything in my business. So, I froze in my tracks when it came to working. Not knowing what to do, I did nothing.
Did that happen to you, Meg?
[Meghan] When everything started happening in March, my creativity took a massive nosedive. My business didn’t change too much from a client and work perspective.
But I was so stressed, angry, and upset! And those feelings negatively impacted my energy and productivity. A project that would normally take a few days to complete took me a week or two! I fell behind schedule—and that made my emotions that much more intense.
[Theresa] Taking that time to step away and reflect was something I needed to do. I didn’t berate myself for it, but I knew I needed to get into action. I did so, but I felt stuck.
When I feel that way, I like to go back to basics. To get started, I pulled out my plan for the year. I began to reorder the strategies and milestones I’d set. Then, I thought about other things I could add in or replace for right now.
We spoke many times about contingency plans and new next steps. Wanting to seem like I had it all together, I talked a lot about what I wanted to do. But behind the scenes, it was a different story.
With those old beliefs bubbling up, I found myself falling back into some old bad habits. I made myself “busy” again. But the truth was I wasn’t taking any meaningful action on anything that mattered, with the exception of this podcast.
However, inevitably, my mindset issues started to spill into The Messy Desk. It affected my work in some old, familiar ways. But even though it wasn’t a good thing, there was some comfort in the familiar.
One time, not too long ago, I was struggling with writing one of our episodes. You came in and wrote two episodes that week, bailing me out. Do you remember that, Meghan?
[Meghan] I do remember that. Well, I didn’t think of writing those episodes as “bailing you out.” But as someone who was going through some creative paralysis, I thought you were struggling too.
You seemed distracted and unfocused, which is really not like you. You’re committed to our mission and your business, so I knew something was going on. And, for whatever reason—I think it was divine intervention—those two episodes were easy to write. So, it worked out perfectly.
How Fear Can Keep You Stuck in Your Business
[Theresa] You were so kind and thoughtful. However, I was mortified. Knowing you could somehow see my mess made me aware of what was actually happening. In reality, my fears had cropped back up.
[Meghan] You were mortified! You seemed embarrassed. And, really, there was nothing to feel badly about, but you did feel bad. Like me, I think you’re hard on yourself.
[Theresa] I can be. And I certainly was at that point in time. It’s one of the effects fear can have on you.
Fear is debilitating. It keeps you small. You remain stuck when you’re afraid. Phrases like, “I can’t” and “I’m not good enough” permeate your thoughts. They spill out into your language and you start to self-sabotage.
In fact, that’s what was happening for me. Getting anything over a finish line was difficult. It’s a terrible cycle to be in. First, you think that limiting thought. Then, you obstruct your own progress. That leads to evidence that your limiting thought is right. And round and round it goes.
[Meghan] Yep, a vicious cycle. It’s terrible, but I bet a lot of people are familiar with self-sabotage. Limiting beliefs are called that because they limit you! They limit your progress and your success. And we do it to ourselves, which makes it even more frustrating!
I’m no stranger to limiting beliefs. What beliefs limit you? Give us a few examples if you don’t mind.
Limiting Beliefs have Consequences
[Theresa] I can share a few.
First was perfectionism. Everything I did, whether it was a piece of writing, a graphic, or a video, had to be just right before I could put it in front of anyone.
This is what was happening with that podcast episode. I wanted it to be brilliant and perfect. When it wasn’t coming out perfectly, then I felt like a failure.
The fear of failure led to procrastination. For me, procrastination comes in the form of doing other work. The “other work” is typically unimportant, unnecessary, or both.
For example, with the podcast episode, I did not focus my research well. One article would lead me off on a wild tangent. This made me question my original concept. I’d change my premise, only to find myself back onto the original idea. Consequently, I wasted hours and hours.
So, the limiting beliefs that were derailing me were:
- I have to be perfect.
- If I fail, I’ll disappoint everyone.
- I don’t know enough about my area of expertise, so I need more information.
The consequences of my limiting beliefs were that I:
- Felt anxious
- Wasted energy, effort and time
- Failed to meet my deadline (which only rooted my fear)
- Had guilt
- Worried that I’d let Meghan down and she’d regret working with me
[Meghan] Wow! Well, you certainly applied a lot of unnecessary pressure to yourself! I do the same thing, so I can relate.
I battle perfectionism and the fear of disappointing others, which I think is tied into the feeling that I’m not good enough. Anyway, I didn’t know you were feeling that way about those episodes. I wish you had said something!
[Theresa] I’m embarrassed to admit it, but this situation demonstrates how fast things can spin out of control. The mind is amazing though. You can change your viewpoints anytime you’d like. So, that’s what I did.
Instead of staying in that headspace, I reframed those thoughts and got myself back on track.
[Meghan] I’m glad you did. You know, the negative stuff stands in the way of accomplishing your goals and dreams. It blocks your success. That’s why it’s important to change the negative into positive.
How to Reframe Negative Thoughts
We talked about how to reframe negative thoughts at length in Episode 11. Maybe you can repeat the process one more time for us, Theresa?
[Theresa] Sure, he’s a recap of the process:
- Become aware of your negative thought.
- Ask yourself if it’s true.
- Identify where that thought came from.
- Reframe the thought.
You have the ability to change your mindset. Once you do, things get easier in business and in life.
Why It’s Crucial to Change Your Limiting Beliefs
[Theresa] The hardest part of limiting beliefs is the shame I feel when I let defeatist attitudes pull me in a direction that isn’t healthy for me, personally or professionally.
Limiting beliefs are never true. You can change them and you need to because your mindset determines your success.
Core Business Beliefs You Can Adopt to Achieve Success
[Meghan] Yes, your mindset determines your success—I love that! I agree with it. Changing my mindset has been one of the biggest challenges in my business. Your beliefs about yourself and your perspective affect your outcomes.
Okay, so what if you’ve been feeling negative? What if your mindset isn’t where it needs to be?
Today, we’re helping you with five core business beliefs that you can implement right now to create forward momentum, to feel happier, and to achieve more success in your business.
Theresa, you’re starting us off with number one.
Business Belief #1: I’d rather try and fail than never take a risk
[Theresa] The first core business belief to adopt is I’d rather try and fail than never take a risk.
I believe the only things you truly regret in life are those you didn’t have the courage to do. There are plenty of times in my business when I’ve fallen flat on my face. I’ve had my share of failures. Strategies that didn’t work. Copy that didn’t resonate. Launches that fell flat.
Sure, I might feel slightly annoyed or even ticked off thinking that I wasted time on something, but each failure provides valuable insight that helps me grow as an entrepreneur.
Taking reasonable, calculated risks is a part of owning a business. Accept and embrace that failing is part of your learning process. These are those “messy moments” Meghan and I are always talking about. It’s those messy moments where the growth, progress, and magic happen in your business.
I promise that if you never take risks, you’ll never truly succeed—in life or in business. Really successful people are constantly taking risks – not necessarily crazy, spontaneous risks – but well-thought-out, calculated ones.
What’s next, Meghan?
Business Belief #2: It doesn’t need to be perfect…it just needs to be out there
[Meghan] Perfectionism can be a huge thorn in your side! That’s why core business belief #2 is to adopt the mindset that it doesn’t need to be perfect — it just needs to be out there.
Or, as I like to say it, “done is better than perfect.”
As hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretsky said, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” In other words, you can’t succeed if you don’t try.
Successful people know it’s all about putting yourself and your stuff out into the world—whether it’s perfect or not. Aim for imperfect action over perfect inaction.
The sooner you get your stuff out there, the sooner you can start helping people. No one is perfect. Focusing on perfection will keep you from your dreams and from the impact you want to make. You can always make tweaks and changes later, so don’t get consumed by the need for perfection!
Business Belief #3: I’m responsible for my own success.
[Theresa] Here’s something to think about for a bit. In every fiscally challenging time, there have been businesses that have survived and even thrived. Both Meghan and I know entrepreneurs who are crushing it. Right now. In this trying time.
Why is that? They’ve probably harnessed core business belief #3, which is I’m responsible for my own success.
You can’t get anywhere if you start playing the blame game. No one is responsible for your success but you.
Blaming is another form of excuse-making. Once you realize you’re the ONLY one who’s responsible for your success, it frees you up to move forward and try new things.
Focus on finding solutions. Then get to work.
Ultimately, you’ll know you’ve succeeded because YOU had the knowledge, skills, and drive to make it happen.
Business Belief #4: I can’t please everyone all the time
[Meghan] Amen! You know that I believe in personal responsibility and accountability, so I love that you’re encouraging people to be the leader of their own destiny.
Okay, moving on. This next statement is cliché, but it’s one of the most important things you can remember as an entrepreneur. When you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one.
So that leads me to core business belief #4 that you need to adopt: I can’t please everyone all the time.
Trying to please everyone will make you blend into the background. You’ll be seen as someone who has no strong opinions or who is just plain wishy-washy. Potential clients won’t see that you have a solution to their problem. They’ll overlook you and choose your competition.
Be crystal clear on who your ideal customer or client is, and then serve THEM to the best of your ability. Don’t worry about everyone else!
If you’re not sure who your ideal client is, get laser-focused on the problem you solve and the outcome you help others achieve.
Yes, this will exclude some people from your community since they don’t need your help or like your opinion. And that’s okay. Your goal isn’t to please every person on the planet.
Business Belief #5: I have everything I need to start
[Theresa] Have you ever found yourself thinking you needed more education or more skills? Maybe you believe you need a bigger audience before you can get started on something in your business. Perhaps you think you need the right branding before you can start.
It’s easy to get caught up in the mindset of, “I’ll start when…”
In fact, you’re already there. This makes core business belief #5: I have everything I need to start.
Sure, maybe you’ll need more training or some help along the way, but that shouldn’t stop you from starting…then growing, building, and improving as you go along.
As I like to say, “You are greater than the excuses you make.” So stop waiting and start moving forward.
Why You Need to Embrace These Core Business Beliefs
[Meghan] And that wraps up the five core business beliefs we wanted to share with you. If you’re looking to attract success in your business or life, try adopting these mindset shifts.
How you think about yourself and your business have a HUGE impact on whether or not you succeed. So, keep working on your beliefs and your mindset!
Anything you want to add, Theresa?
[Theresa] Remember to start small. Replacing only one of these beliefs to begin will make a world of difference in your mindset. As a result, you’ll achieve success in a bigger, more positive way.
