I’ve been on the entrepreneurial journey for a little over two years now, and in full disclosure, I’ve experienced amazing experiences that have brought much joy, but I have also faced very challenging times. Times where I asked myself if it was worth the journey or if it would be better to just throw in the towel and go back to corporate, because even my marriage was being affected.
That’s why I got really interested in learning more about the difference in the mindset between an employee and an entrepreneur. I did it for myself, but I also did it because I know that I would be able to help my clients too. This is so common for people who transition from having worked for a paycheck for a long time, and they now want to start a business.
One of the main things that I had to really understand is that, in order to become an entrepreneur, we have to give up security, so we can have more freedom. But it’s really hard to do that, because we have been conditioned since we were kids to go to school and then get a job. We have been programmed to be afraid of failing, and we even feel shame around failure. If you failed in school, must likely you would get reprimanded at home. If you fail at a job, chances are that you will get fired.
I love what one of my mentors – Bob Proctor, said once:
“Faith & fear have a lot in common. They both demand that you believe in something that you cannot see”
Part of being an entrepreneur is having to face failure, and learning from our mistakes, so we can learn something new and course-correct when needed. But, if we are afraid of failing, most of the times, we will hold ourselves back and will not even try to take different risks or do things in a different way, which could help us grow ourselves and our business.
Becoming an entrepreneur requires a whole new mindset. We need to unlearn so many things that we’ve been taught. And unlearning can take work, because it requires that we get awareness of the habits, beliefs and behaviors that have been driving our lives, on auto-pilot, for years. Unlearning requires that we confront an uncomfortable reality, so we can allow ourselves to grow and move closer to our goals as heart-centered entrepreneurs.
At the end of the day, how can we grow and see different results in our life and business, if we’re not willing to see the truth, and if we continue doing the same things, and making the same kind of choices, over and over again, right?
I believe that giving ourselves permission to explore, from a place of curiosity, and having the willingness to change whatever needs to change, so we can honor and fulfill our mission here on the planet, is one of the most beautiful acts of self-love. In order to unlearn habits and beliefs we need to make the conscious choice, have the willingness to be open and be mindful of what shows up for us. Here are 2 additional important tips:
- Be curious – reconnect with your inner-child and keep asking ourselves questions like: “why”, “how can I” and “what if”. That way we’ll be able to be more creative about finding solutions, at a much different level and with a different mindset.
- Connect with other people that have what you want – find people who can give you a different perspective, which will open your mind to other possibilities and will push you in a new direction.
Here are some of the things that you’ll need to unlearn if you want to become an entrepreneur and live your purpose:
- Waiting for someone to tell you what to do – you’re your own boss, therefore, you’re the one that will be determining your strategies, managing your time and creating some type of structure during the day so you can stay focused and accomplish your goals. This was a big one for me, and I’ve seen that this is a common struggle for many other entrepreneurs that are just starting a business, after many years of working for corporate.
- Avoiding Failure – The only failure is not trying… The surest way to notsucceed is by not trying to do things differently, not showing up, not stepping up, not putting yourself out there. Failure is not a reason to feel shame at all. Failure is part of the process of becoming successful, because we learn with every experience. Failing and making mistakes brings growth, and you can always course-correct.
- Blaming others and circumstances – We always have to take responsibility for the results we get in life and business. When you blame others or your circumstances you are giving your power away and are seeing yourself as a victim. Just know that you have the power to be, do, and have whatever you want. As an entrepreneur, you’re responsible for the results you create in your business. It’s all about your mindset.
- Leaning towards perfectionism – It’s ok to try to get things done in a professional way, but don’t fall into the trap of perfectionism. Fear is behind perfectionism, so don’t wait for all the stars to align or having everything figured out before you start your business or launch a new product/service. Just do it, and then you can always tweak things. Just think about some companies, like Microsoft windows, their software has different versions. That means that they have been improving along the way.
- Being an employee you need to just do your thing – Being an entrepreneur takes more than just one job. It takes many jobs to make up a business! You have to wear many different hats to run your business, so you need to learn the business of doing business. An employee will get paid for being busy, but an entrepreneur gets paid for results. You are responsible for the bottom line, and believe me, busy-ness without a focus and a plan, will not pay your bills.
- Being weak when setting boundaries– You need to learn to create better and healthier boundaries. Saying “No”with kindness to others, will mean saying “yes” to yourself and your business. Setting clear boundaries is a key leadership skill that you need in order to succeed, and take your business dreams seriously.
- Not communicating your truth – Holding yourself back from being authentic and vulnerable, will not only hold your business growth, but will also create weak and superficial relationships. It takes courage to be more assertive and speak your truth, but doing so will create connection with others and will attract ideal clients that are needing your gifts. Like Brene Brown says: “Owning your story can be hard, but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.” I truly believe that courage always creates a ripple effect because, every time we choose courage, we inspire others to do the same. Like with everything else, allowing yourself to be courageous and honoring your truth, is a matter of choice.
- Being unaware of your attitude – Attitude is key to success. You have to become aware and be mindful of your attitude and your thinking. Choosing to stay positive, despite the challenges that you’ll face, will make a big difference. Also, when you’re faced with rejections from potential clients, because you will, don’t make it about you, don’t take it personal. Just keep going and stay focused on your next steps to achieve your goals.
- Looking for answers and happiness outside of yourself – the power is always inside of you. Create a ritual in which you connect with your center every day, so you can stay grounded and positive. Doing this, will help you feel more confident, make better decisions and will allow you to stay committed to your goals, regardless of the set backs that you will be facing as an entrepreneur. Your well-being and peace don’t depend on external factors, this will only act as a quick fix that is not sustainable.
One more thing, find a mentor! I’ve had many mentors along the way. I’ve been paying for coaches myself, because I know that I need support and it will make the process and learning curve easier for me. I also follow other mentors, read their books, sign up for a few online courses, go to workshops, etc.
I know that I get better results as I surround myself with like-minded people who will inspire me and see the greatness in me, even when I can’t see it sometimes. That is part of my commitment and how I stay faithful to the amazing process of being an entrepreneur, so I share my gifts with the world. And I want you to do the same, because I know, with 100% certainty, that your gifts are needed.
