Common Mindsets That May Be Holding Your Business Back
Thoughts are very powerful – and they could be affecting your business!
Your mindset is a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you believe something to be true, you inadvertently cause that belief to become fact because your actions will be dictated by the belief.
And sometimes you may be subscribing to a mindset that may appear positive but may actually be stopping you from reaching your goals.
Today we are going to explore some common mindsets holding your business back.
The Perfection Mindset
Striving for perfection is so common amongst entrepreneurs. And as my clients who are coaches know, this is a common issue for all humankind!
When you are running your own service-based business, it’s so easy to fall into the mental trap of always trying to give 100% to your clients. But it’s not sustainable! It’s a common mindset that may be holding your business back.
You may be stuck in this mindset if you recognize any of these symptoms of a perfectionist in yourself:
You set unrealistic goals that you often don’t achieve.
You are highly critical of yourself, being harsh on yourself when things don’t go according to plan.
You only focus on the results of your work, not the work itself.
You fear failure!
Perfectionism is rooted in that fear of failure and often leads business owners to not take enough risks. Making mistakes is a part of growth and only with growth can you build your business.
The All-or-Nothing Mindset
The close cousin of perfectionism is the “all or nothing” mindset.
You’re either a total success or a total failure. You’ve won or you’ve lost. No in between.
This mindset leaves no room for error in your service-based business. When you are confronted with a mistake or setback, you feel like you are ready to throw the whole biz away. And that’s obviously not the kind of thinking we want to maintain!
The workaround?
Set realistic and flexible goals. If something doesn’t work out exactly as you planned it, examine why and try again. Embrace the gray areas and learn from your mistakes.
Remember – nothing and no one is perfect. So don’t strive to be!
The Rookie Mindset
This is when you fear you do not have enough experience in order to be successful. Sometimes called imposter syndrome, this is a common mindset that may be holding your business back.
Say you are a trainer who is looking to branch out into the life coaching industry. You’ve taken classes, attended conferences, and built up a solid knowledge base that is ready for the public.
Even though you’ve done all the groundwork, that little voice in the back of your head is telling you that you are too much of a rookie to start this business.
You’ve reached the point where taking the next steps to achieve your goals seems suddenly unattainable. Self-doubt has set in.
Don’t let that little voice in the back of your head become a big voice.
Embrace being a beginner and let your worries guide your learning.
If you are that trainer trying to become a life coach and are worried you won’t know the answer to a question a client might ask, try running some mock consultations with a friend. Figure out where your gaps in knowledge – or gaps in confidence – lie and take time to bulk up on that info.
I chat more about the concept of the beginner’s mind in my article, “How To Maintain Your Mindset – No Matter the Client.”
The Stubborn Mindset
This mindset that may be holding your business back is the Rookie Mindset’s evil twin.
It seems like every day a new technology, software, or system comes bursting out on the scene. It can be difficult to stay on top of the latest trends when there is a new one every day. It’s one thing to not be in the know, but another to actively be against any kind of change just because it’s new.
Having a stubborn mindset means you are too set in your ways and unwilling to change with the times.
Your service-based business probably worked just fine running your business finances in a clunky spreadsheet. In the past year, though, you’ve hired an employee, expanded your client list, and no longer have time to manually enter so much data into one Excel file.
Is refusing to upgrade to a dedicated accounting software or outsourcing the job because you mentally don’t want to make the change?
Without change, your business can stagnate.
Push past the uncomfy unknown and put your stubbornness aside. It’s essential for growth!
Make the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy a Positive One
If you’ve recognized yourself in any of these mindsets, start making positive changes to your thoughts.
It’s a “if you build it, they will come” situation.
You can flip the negative self-fulfilling prophecy into a positive one by focusing and believing in the work you are doing. Break from the common mindsets that may be holding your business back and push to get into a growth mindset.
I would love to chat more with you about actionable steps you can take to achieve growth in your mindset and your business!
