When was the last time you started a new endeavor and were completely at ease with it from the first moment? I hope you’re laughing right now, because that hardly ever happens. For anyone. Whether you’re starting a new exercise regimen, you’re trying out a new hobby, or you’ve finally decided to start your own entrepreneurial financial business, you’re going to face a lot of uncertainty and self-doubt in the beginning. In an industry where rejection can be a daily experience, the financial planning industry can easily make a new advisor doubt his or her own skills and abilities on a near constant basis. Overcoming that self-doubt is crucial to your success, though. Here are seven ways to make it happen.
- Realize You’re Not Alone
When you start thinking you’re the only one who experiences self-doubt when trying something new, you really get yourself into trouble. It’s really important to realize that you’re experiencing a common learning curve and that everyone who ever succeeded felt like you do in the beginning. Take a look at the back stories of some super stars like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan and you’ll see that mastery takes time and that discomfort is all part of the process.
- Be Prepared for Backlash
Think all of your friends and family members are going to jump right on board with your new endeavor and support you straight out of the gates? Think again. It’s human nature to resist change, and it’s likely that your desire to try something new will be threatening for those closest to you. Remember to stay true to your goals and tune out the naysayers—even if they are in your own household.
- Watch Who You Hang Out With
You’ve most likely heard the statement that you’re the average of the five people you hang out with the most. I truly believe in the validity of this concept, and you may need to make some hard decisions about your social circle when you launch your new endeavor. You’ll need to learn how to filter negativity and, in some cases, cut ties with those who do nothing but bring you down.
- Focus on Past Successes
When you start something new, it’s easy to let your mind wander to all the other things you’ve tried that haven’t panned out. Here’s my advice: don’t do it. Focus your mind on your past successes—no matter how trivial they may seem. When you reframe your past to only include the positives, you start to believe this new endeavor will also have a successful result.
- Tune Out the World
Over the course of your day, it’s incredibly easy to get distracted by social media, the news, or a hundred other different things that are vying for your attention. When you are starting a new endeavor, it’s vital that you tune all of these out and focus on your daily routine. Put together a list of the most important things you need to accomplish each day and put on blinders to the rest.
- Build Patience
As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. And I’m pretty sure the Romans had to scrap a lot of initial plans until they got it right. Be patient with yourself as you build your new business and recognize when a pivot may be in order. Start where you’re planted, keep banging away at your daily tasks, and don’t get frustrated along the way.
- Distract Yourself with Courage
A key part of overcoming self-doubt is having courage. Of course, we all know that courage is a product of confidence, and it can be difficult to build that confidence when you’re starting something new. That’s why the ‘fake it until you make it’ adage works in this case. When those doubtful thoughts start creeping in or when you start worrying about all the ways you could fail, distract your brain with courage. Tell yourself you can do it, that you’re more than capable, and that it will all be worth it in the end.
Do you struggle with self-doubt when starting a new endeavor? If so, you’re certainly not the only one. If you’ve launched your entrepreneurial financial planning business and the doubt has started to take over, focus on the above seven tips to nip it in the bud before it’s too late. If you’d like more information on overcoming self-doubt, check out my video or reach out so we can chat.
