How often do you feel stuck in your business?
You have so many ideas whirring round your head, so much that you need to do, so many things to think about…..and as a result you never seem to get anything done…sound familiar?!
So let me help you out……
I can pinpoint what is holding you back from taking action in one of two categories….
🧠 Mindset
⏱ Time
From my own experience and working with many women like you, these are the two reasons your ideas don’t turn into action!
🧠 MINDSET
Mindset is a very broad topic but when it comes to running a business it can have such a huge impact! How you feel about yourself and your business will determine the action you take every day.
These are the top 4 mindset barriers I see in female business owners…
🙈 Comparison - Why am I not as ‘successful’?
🙈 Imposter syndrome - I’m not good enough!
🙈 Fear of failure - But what if it doesn’t work out?
🙈 Fear of judgement - What will people think of me?
⏱ TIME
Time is such a contentious issue! (I am writing this at the time of the media storm surrounding the comments made by Mollie Mae regarding time and business) Yes we all do have time, even when you are juggling a million and one things, however it is a skill to use your time in the most effective way! Yep that’s right a skill! We have to learn and practice to make it work!
🤯 Overwhelm - I have too much to do!
🤯 Prioritisation - I don’t know what to I do next!
How do you overcome these barriers I hear you ask!
Well……it takes time and a conscious effort for sure but here are my top tips!
1️⃣ Define what success means for you - Use this when setting your goals, this is about your and you alone and your measure of success will be different to others around you!
When thinking about your goals, don’t confuse them with action steps to achieve something. Your goal is your end destination, the big dream, it might be based on income or it might be based on moving to running your business full time, it may be to find a better balance but whatever it is the goal is the overall aim and then you can work out the steps you need to take to make that dream a reality!
2️⃣ Name the little voice - Yep that one that tells you that you can’t do it/ won’t be successful/ don’t have what it takes and so on! We all have that inner critic but by personifying it, it makes it easier to have a little word in their ear and tell them to do one!
Mine is called Bruce and whenever he pipes up I have a conversation with him, figure out where his concerns are coming from and then tell him that I am all good and don’t need his help right now!
3️⃣ Unfollow anyone on social media that evokes negative feelings - It is important to do competitor research to define your brand and make good decisions, however it is not necessary to have your competitors social media content in your face. The same goes for anyone who’s influence brings you to compare yourself, doubt yourself or feel like you are ‘failing’
4️⃣ Focus on the value you bring - When putting your self out there our brain tries to keep us safe. Rather than focus on the back you are putting yourself out there, focus on what you can do to help your ideal client. Remember why you started your business - you wanted to help your ideal client and solve a problem for them. If you get inside your own head too much and shy away you are preventing yourself from having an impact and making a difference to your ideal client.
5️⃣ Celebrate your wins - We will always focus on what we haven’t achieved rather than what we have, it has been embedded into our mindset over the years however, by making a conscious effort to celebrate your wins no matter how small you will start to refocus your mind towards the positive which will enable you to feel more motivated to take action. Start off by celebrating your wins daily, once this is more embedded practice your can move to weekly celebration.
6️⃣ Take time with your goal setting - It may counter productive when you have so much to do but having it clear not only in it your head but on paper make such a difference! Write down your big dream goal for the year, then break this down into smaller action based goals that will help you get there. What are you going to do in each month of the year? This helps with your decision making, if what you are about to do doesn’t contribute to your overall goal or help you achieve the steps you need to take, you don’t have time for it!
7️⃣ Plan out your year - Plot out your yearly key dates on a planner, for example birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, school breaks - anything that will restrict the time you have to spend on your business. Then plot out any business commitments, for example launches, key commercial dates (Valentines Day, Christmas, Mother’s Day etc), markets, seasons, new products, personal development. This then allows you to see what each month looks like and the predicted time you will have to work on you goals and drive your business forward.
8️⃣ Plan when to work ‘in’ your business and when to work ‘on’ your business - Working in your business is completing all the tasks you need to keep your business afloat. This may be client work, finance tracking, marketing activities. Working on your business is undertaking activities to improve or grow. These might be personal development, learning a new skill, incorporating a new marketing stream, working on a new product or service. These activities will move you forward towards your big goal. There will be times you have a client deadline so need to prioritise working in your business. By planning this out you can be kinder to yourself and reduce the feeling of overwhelm.
9️⃣ Have different notepads - Separate out your business activities, ideas, wins/gratitude and goal setting into different notepads, this enables you to focus your mind depending on your activity and makes it easier to find the right info when you want to go back to it!
🔟 Be kind to yourself - Sometimes things don’t go according to plan - that’s ok. When this happens….because it will, take time to reflect and look at why. What can you learn? Any goals you set are your goals. If you don’t hit the time frame you gave yourself, move it, keep going. It maybe that you have to change your goals, you are the one who set them, you can change them! You might know something you didn’t before, a new opportunity may present itself. Do what is right for you! Remember - you don’t fail until you give up!
If you need more support in breaking through your mindset barriers and turning your ideas into action then book a free discovery call here
Or if you want to have a 121 workshop with me to go through a particular idea or spend time looking at your marketing or content book here
About the Author
Hannah Roper, founder and director of The Female Creative, is a coach and mentor to female business owners, helping them reduce their overwhelm and turn their ideas into action through goal setting, accountability and increasing their confidence and self belief.
With over 20 years in learning and development and 7 years as an entrepreneur, Hannah uses her experience and knowledge to provide solutions to business growth and organisation through 121 coaching, a group membership and as a podcast host for The Female Creative Talks Podcast.
Hannah has recently been chosen to receive an award for Top 20 Female Business Coaches of 2022 by Coach Foundation and was nominated for the 2022 Pamodzi Inspirational Women Awards for the second year in a row in the business category.
To find out more please visitwww.thefemalecreative.co.uk
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