by Carol Pearson | Featured Contributor
Great Vision? Feeling Positive?
If you’re an entrepreneur or aspiring to become one, you’re probably an avid reader of business articles and personal development books. These days there’s so much great stuff to read, the power of positive thinking, the importance of a growth mindset, how to develop a can-do attitude, find happiness in 30 days, etc.
I bet you also know the importance of having a clear goal of what you want to achieve in your business and personal life. It’s likely that you’ve developed a vision board or a mood board to help you engage with, clarify and manifest your vision.
How’s it going?
Are you moving towards your goal, creating the business you dreamed of? Congratulations and well done if you’re on track. But, let’s be honest, being an entrepreneur is challenging and requires focus, commitment, motivation and most importantly it requires action.
It doesn’t matter how good your vision/business idea is or how much time you spend thinking positively, if you don’t do something, you won’t build your business, and instead you’ll be left feeling disappointed and frustrated.
Do you struggle to get things moving?
If so, have you explored what’s holding you back? Is it an external issue (funding, regulations, etc.) or is it an internal obstacle such as anxiety, self-doubt, fear of failure or of being judged? If it’s an internal issue, it’s time to do some inner work to identify and overcome whatever is holding you back from achieving your goals.
My top tips for overcoming inner obstacles and taking action.
- Reconnect with your vision: It it’s clear it should provide motivation to get things moving. Fully connect with it, what it looks like, feels like, sounds like to have achieved it.
- Take a risk: Whatever it is that you’re concerned about, take a risk and just do it. It’s reported that 90% of what we worry about never happens anyway. Avoiding fears can makes them worse. Whatever your fear, if you face it, it often starts to fade.
- Start with small steps: What is the smallest action step possible that’s in the direction of your vision. Don’t overwhelm yourself with a huge project, tackle it a step at a time.
- Accountability partner: Find someone you trust who will encourage, support and hold you accountable to take the actions steps you commit to.
- Challenge limiting thoughts and beliefs: For example, if you think you’re a terrible public speaker, ask yourself if this is really true. Recall times when you’ve spoken in public successfully in the past and if necessary practice with friends or take a class. Repeat a positive affirmation to yourself, “I enjoy public speaking and can engage my audience and communicate my message”
- Talk to someone: When you share your fears and concerns, they often seem less scary. Talk to a partner or friend, or if the obstacle seems very stuck consider seeing a counsellor or coach.
- Advise a friend: Ask yourself what you would say to a friend who had a similar obstacle holding them back, what’s your advice?
- Don’t try to be perfect: If you put off doing things until everything is perfect, then you will probably never get things done. Just make sure it’s good enough and get on with it. Fine tune later if necessary.
- Self-Care: Look after yourself. If you get plenty of sleep, eat well, hydrate, reduce alcohol and exercise, you’ll feel more resilient and have more perseverance, creativity and drive to overcome obstacles which feel unsurmountable when your body and mind is not well cared for.
Is success coming your way?
Commit to tackling your inner obstacles. If you have a great vision, a positive attitude and can take the action steps needed to build your business, then success is surely coming your way.
Carol is a coach, workshop facilitator, speaker and the founder of Midlife Women, a coaching practice dedicated to helping women embrace change, build confidence, and experience a happy and meaningful second half of life.
Carol believes that having a positive approach and an inspiring vision is essential, especially if you’re an entrepreneur. However, to be successful, you must also take action. She coaches clients to develop the right mind-set and do the inner work to break through the obstacles that get in the way of achieving true success.
Carol enjoys coaching all clients, but she is particularly committed to working with women in midlife, helping them follow their passions towards meaningful, rewarding and happy lives. She works face-to-face or remotely using Skype, Zoom etc.
Having enjoyed an international corporate career in London, Sydney, San Francisco and New York for more than 20 years, Carol is now based in London, from where she juggles her passion for international travel and exploring different cultures with work, meeting clients and catching up with friends.
