When you start your own business, you will have a lot of things going at the same time. All of the thoughts of things you need to follow up on, plan and do could overwhelm you. Being an entrepreneur will involve some stress, but it does not have to exhaust you. Here are five tips on how you can build mental endurance as an entrepreneur.
Face Your Fears
It is human to avoid what frightens you. However, you will have to face certain fears as an entrepreneur if you are going to improve your chances at success. Many therapists offer a sort of exposure therapy for people with phobias. You can do a similar process on your own. If you are afraid of public speaking, start by introducing yourself to a small group of strangers. Then introduce yourself to a bigger group. Before you know it, you will be ready to talk in front of a room full of strangers.
Avoid Self-pity
A “Woe is me” attitude will not get you far as an entrepreneur. There is no time to have self-pity or self-doubt when you are in business for yourself. Move on from the failure. Forward progress is what you need as an entrepreneur. Self-pity just gets you stuck. Try to see a failure as a lesson or learning experience. Use it as a push forward. Allow it to boost your agility. Most entrepreneurs will work through many failures before they achieve success. The difference is those who get to success did not get stuck in a pit of self-pity.
Take Charge of Your Reactions
You cannot control what happens to you. However, you can control your reaction to the circumstances in which you find yourself. Recognize how your reactions can make a situation worse. Think about how you can change your instincts. Take a minute to think and plan. Instead of finding the negative in a situation, shift your mindset. Look for the opportunity in each problem or each failure. See the situation for what it is, and look at it objectively before you react subjectively.
Be Open to Changing Your Mind
Mental strength is not the same thing as stubbornness. In order to build mental endurance, you need to have some flexibility. When a tough situation happens, you might need to change direction. A strategy that has worked in the past might not work when the next issue arises. Stubbornly persisting with the same method, process or tactic that you already know is not working will only result in failure. Know when to say when, and try something different. It might feel uncomfortable, but that discomfort will lessen as your mental endurance increases.
Focus on the Big Picture
In business, you cannot worry about the small stuff. If you do, you will constantly be overwhelmed. Put your focus on the big picture. Keep your eyes on the prize, and build momentum for forward progress. Think about what poker players do at a busy table in a room surrounded by flashing lights, noise and dozens of people. They tune out what is not important and focus on what matters. You can spend your energy on what will make the biggest difference in your success as a new business owner.
