Written by: Stephanie Collinson, 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.
Nothing can quite prepare us for the rollercoaster of becoming self-employed and running our own business. It is a lot to take on, and it is not for everyone, but if you can remind yourself of your why and it is enough to keep you going, you have got this. The journey of being an entrepreneur is full of highs and lows, a rollercoaster that you can never seem to get off. I am writing this article because I feel these are the top 3 things that are not talked about enough in the space to become a successful entrepreneur.
1. Mindset
No, this is not all just about thinking positive things and manifesting money out of thin air. This is getting to the real nitty-gritty. You are going to want to give up several times and maybe more than 5 times in a day. You will not want to turn the laptop on or reply to nightmare clients who don’t appreciate your time or services. Mindset takes time to cultivate, change and grow. It is not easy at all.
What I have learned sitting here and typing this is that your brain well your ego, will always want you to take the easy route. The easy route for me today would have been sitting on the couch eating chocolate and feeling sorry for myself because I am not getting clients coming to me, and I am not making the money I want in my business right now that I thought I would. However, that does not get you a successful business, putting in the hard work, taking the rejections, the sound of crickets when no one buys, and sitting with those hard emotions (they will pass!) That is what will make you successful and resilient, which leads me to the next point.
2. Choice
We often blame or do not take responsibility for our actions. We are quick to blame people, circumstances, and our environments. But when you have your own business, all that responsibility lies on you. So, you must choose how you are going to approach both the difficult times in your business and the successful times. I believe celebrating both is so important. Every step you take in your business is a choice that should be celebrated and noted because, without that, you will not get to the next stage. If it is dropping a client that does not align with you anymore or raising prices and current clients are saying no, or changing your niche so you turn clients away from that once you would have loved to have on board. Embrace the difficult choices because they make you a better business owner. You also learn to trust yourself, which is a whole another blog.
3. Take a Day Off
The whole business thing and wearing all the hats can feel extremely, extremely exhausting. So do not feel bad about taking a day off occasionally, it is normal, and your business won’t stop. Overworking yourself and not taking a break has got me many times, and I sometimes still forget. We started our businesses because we are passionate about it, but we still must make time for other things that light us up. We must have other passions to balance out our business minds. Productivity guilt is real, and we all feel it, so do not beat yourself up. If your body and especially your mind need a rest, then listen to it—another topic of intuition to talk about another time.
Summary
Take a break, do not feel bad about it. Remember that choice to take a break will not ‘break’ your business. You must work on that mindset to realize you are more than capable of success, your self-worth is not tied to your business, and the challenges will ultimately propel you forward.
If you liked this blog, follow me on IG at va_stephsolutions. Let us keep the conversation going and see how I can help get you started on your business journey! Also, be sure to check out my podcast, The Meaningful Mentor, a safe space where we discuss the impact of chronic conditions and share tips on how to manage your condition daily.
Stephanie Collinson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Steph Collinson is an occupational therapist, virtual assistant, and holistic mentor. After working in the NHS as an occupational therapist and struggling to manage her long-term condition of IBS. Steph decided to start a side hustle in August 2020 after discovering a course online which promised time and financial freedom. Steph has successfully begun to work for herself less than a year since starting up her business to pursue a life she is passionate about and is meaningful to her. Steph now helps mentors and allied health professionals in the online space get visible, create inspiring content and connect with their ideal clients. She also has her own podcast called The Meaningful Mentor, which discusses the daily impact and challenges of living with long-term health conditions and provides helpful tips and insights to her listeners. Steph's mission is to support those with long-term conditions to live a more meaningful life daily while running their online businesses.
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