As business owners, we’ve all experienced imposter syndrome and had times where we question whether we are good enough to become really successful.
And when our ideas fail, our immediate reaction is to question our actions.
Was it the software we chose? The copy we wrote? The wrong Facebook objective on our ad?
But what if I tell you that the very reason you failed, the thing that holds you back time and time again, wasn’t some external factor at all.
It's your thinking.
Your mindset plays a huge role in your success. In fact, your life is a direct outcome of the stories you believe about yourself.
Ever since childhood, our subconscious has created a program based on what we’ve seen and what we’ve been told to believe. This causes us to hold limiting beliefs like “I’m not good enough” or “It’s not possible for me to make 7 figures”.
So if you believe you will never earn 7 figures then you probably never will. Because as Henry Ford once said:
“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.”
The good news is that a belief is just a choice and you can reprogram the subconscious mind.
But before I go down this mindset rabbit hole with you, I wanted to make it clear that I’m not a psychologist or psychiatrist. However, I have done a truckload of work on myself to get to where I am today.
Over 15 years ago I was a guy whose limiting belief was that no one would ever pay me $1,200 for a website. Today I run a successful company that provides world-class courses and coaching programs to help freelancers and digital agency owners grow their businesses.
And you can probably guess the biggest roadblock that these agency owners have when it comes to earning more, doing less and having the freedom to live the life they’ve always dreamed of.
That’s right… limiting beliefs.
But first, what exactly is a limiting belief?
Many people have thoughts that sound a little bit like this, “I don’t think I’ll be able to find a client to pay me $5K for the service I offer.”
We’ve all been there. Thoughts that say your product isn’t good enough or that you don’t have enough experience are examples of limiting beliefs. These thoughts are constantly present, waiting to derail your business plans.
These beliefs don’t develop overnight. They start as fleeting unconscious thoughts. But if said enough times – in your head or out loud – they become your reality, your absolute truth. These beliefs then reign you back from taking risks and going after bigger dreams because you’ve already subconsciously decided you aren’t capable of it.
The power your mindset has over your actions
Every day we have thousands of thoughts running through our brain. We’re constantly feeding our subconscious information. Your subconscious then works overtime to force you to behave in a way that reflects what you believe.
So if the thoughts coming in are saying, “You can’t possibly charge a client that much” or “You’re not at the same level as your competition,” your behaviour and actions will reflect those beliefs.
The results are a long list of “almost successes” for your business.
Five limiting beliefs that are keeping you stuck (and how to reframe them)
Beliefs don’t change overnight. But they can start shifting when you become aware of them. Are they positive? Do they contribute to the future you’re hoping to build? If they don’t, then it’s time to reframe them.
1. Instead of “No one will pay XX amount for the services I offer,” think “I offer my clients value to grow their business.”
Imposter syndrome is real. But if you focus your energy on the value, clients will pay to receive the impact of your services.
2. Instead of “My service isn’t good enough yet,” think “My service is the perfect fit for this market.”
Chasing perfection can be a giant stumbling block. So instead of waiting until you have everything just right, shift your focus. Chances are your offer is already the right fit for someone.
3. Instead of “I need to feel confident before moving forward,” think “I can move forward while I continue to work on the other parts of my business.”
When you create expectations of how things ‘ought to be’, you won’t let yourself move forward until it looks a certain way. So instead, keep moving forward by focusing on what’s ready, and the rest can be a continuing work in progress.
4. Instead of “I am not as good as them,” think “Here are the things I am good at.”
Comparing your business or yourself to others can prevent you from focusing on the things you do well. Remember, your business has something valuable to offer. Focus your energy there.
5. Instead of “I need to know everything going on in my business at all times,” think “I don’t know everything, but I do have the tools I need as an entrepreneur.”
The “need to know everything all the time” can be an unrealistic expectation that can hold you back from focusing on expanding your business.
Building a growth mindset for your future
Developing a mindset of growth takes time. But now that you're aware of your own set of limiting beliefs, you can flex your self-awareness muscle and choose to hold onto thoughts and ideas that help you build a growth mindset. That’s step one.
The next step is developing a daily practice of gratitude. I talk more about that in the first episode of the Maverick Mindset session.
Let’s keep this conversation going!
We’ll talk about nurturing and fostering a better, healthier, more optimistic, more abundant mindset during these weekly sessions—the type of mindset that will shape your behaviour and help you attain the results you want for yourself and your business.
Join the Digital Mavericks Facebook Group to tune in each week and invite a friend you think can benefit from these sessions.
