Written by: Kim Ward, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You’ve heard the saying “You are what you eat”, but the same can be said for “You are what you think about”.
Self belief is everything when it comes to finding balance between your personal life and your ability to build a strong, profitable brand.
There was a period of my earlier entrepreneur life where I would find myself playing a game on my phone, rather than doing the income producing activities that would move my business in the right direction. Avoidance behavior is what my coach called it.
How could I not see it?
If you find yourself procrastinating or simply avoiding the tasks that will move the needle in the right direction, it’s time to look at why.
I strongly believe that it boils down to self belief and confidence. We’re going to tackle that today but before I do, let’s address some possible areas that may be holding you back.
Comparitis. I don’t think this is a real word according to the dictionary but it’s real in our world as entrepreneurs. Suffering from “comparitis” means that you are focused on comparing yourself to other people. More than likely you play your “blooper reels” and compare it to their “highlight reels”. It might not seem like a big deal but this practice will mentally defeat you and cause your limiting beliefs to severely take over. When that happens you retreat and do…nothing.
When I was playing games on my phone it’s because I could easily win and rank advance to the next level. I had no one to compare myself to and I was happy winning. What would my business look like if I redirected that energy and focus to the daily tasks without comparing myself to other people?
Have I got you thinking yet?
Another avoidance trigger is something we call Imposter Syndrome. There are so many reasons why you might feel like an imposter. Perhaps you don’t feel as competent as you think you need to or your brand grew so quickly that now your group, or circle has changed and there is a small part of you that feels like you don’t belong there yet. It can be challenging to set into shoes that you think are too big for you in this moment.
After evaluating the reasons for me playing games instead of working on my business, it boiled down to the fact that I was comparing myself to everyone on social media and in my direct circle but I also suffered from imposter syndrome.
I had recently competed on a reality show for entrepreneurs and I placed as the third global finalist. Even though I was comparing myself to the first and second place winner, I was mentally beating myself up for not being as smart as them or not thinking the way that they did.
How stupid of me, but I’m human, right?
There were many other people looking at me with the same level of comparitis that I was looking at number one and two. Imagine if we were all just content with who we are and what we know at this point in our journey.
As a finalist, I received so much publicity and enjoyed sharing my personal story on stage a few months after the show was filmed. As I was walking off stage I noticed a line of people just standing there. I wondered what they were doing and soon found out that they were all standing in line to meet me, take pictures with me, and also get my autograph. Guess what happened? Raging imposter syndrome!
I didn’t feel worthy to be acting like a celebrity! I’m just me. Isn’t it crazy how our mind influences everything?
You might not have been on a reality show or experienced the same kind of craziness that I have, don’t compare yourself to me. The great news is that you don’t have to in order to benefit from these three solutions.
Implement them, track your performance and write back to me; let me know what improvements you experienced as a result.
1. Create 1 powerful afformation that you will ask yourself each morning before you start your day.
Yes, I said afformation. An afformation is much like an affirmation in the sense that you are affirming and expecting positivity, only an afformation is spoken in a question form.
When I felt like I had much to be desired, I would ask myself “How can I show up more powerfully today?” out loud, every single morning. The brain is a powerful thing and it goes right to work looking for the answer to your question. The answer may be subtle until it’s not.
Feeling pretty low, I would ask my afformation and naively think that nothing was happening but in reality I was getting stronger everyday. My shoulders would be back, my chin held high and I was doing the action steps that I needed to. Within a few months I found myself meeting with my state legislators to discuss important topics, I was in the local newspaper, I had founded a nonprofit and my business was providing for my family I was able to fully retire my husband. It was time for a new afformation, I didn’t need to show up more powerfully anymore.
2. Document your timeline of accomplishments
We’ve established that we can be pretty hard on ourselves. It’s easier than it should be to forget about the amazing things that we’ve already accomplished. Maybe you just sweep them under the rug and don’t give it the celebration that it deserves.
I’m willing to bet you that you’re more incredible than you give yourself credit for. Let’s reflect on your life and remember everything positive that you’ve accomplished, no matter how insignificant it seems to you.
This exercise will reinforce how awesome you are and what you’re capable of!
3. Consistently write in a gratitude journal
Before you roll your eyes (that’s what I did), hear me out. When you’re in a place of doubt, fear, frustration, etc. it’s difficult to focus or even care about gratitude, however, you can train your brain to look for things to be grateful for.
This will help you become a more positive person which will reduce your stress, eliminate limiting beliefs and help you stay in action.
Each day document what you’re truly grateful for. If you have a hard time with this exercise, reach out to me for my recommended app. This app will kickstart the process for you! I’ve taught many classes that have had tremendous success with this app and my overall process.
It’s not overnight but over time, you will feel confident and appreciate your authentic self. When you realize that we’re all made differently for a reason and you are the exact person that the world needs, comparitis and imposter syndrome no longer exist and you have put your stamp on the world via your brand.
Go show the world what you’re made of!
Kim Ward, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kim Ward, is a leader among driven entrepreneurs, helping them find their fire so they no longer feel defeated and make decisions that move them closer to their goals instead of sleepwalking through their day. After losing her sister and mother to suicide, and surviving an attempt of her own, Kim has dedicated herself to improving the quality of lives around her. She is the CEO of Katie's Mission, a nonprofit organization fighting to end the stigma around mental health and providing wrap-around services to those in need. Kim is a co-author in a 1 best-selling compilation book in 4 countries - "The Power of Yes. How Network Marketing Creates Dream Lives". Her mission: Help you get through challenges and adversity with a powerful truth that can help those around you.
