I have been thinking a lot over the past few weeks about the role confidence plays when we are trying to grow a business. When I first started my business, I struggled with my own confidence. Making the transition from employed to self employed and suddenly having to be more visible wasn’t easy. I have worked on and still work on consciously building my confidence each and every day. I am often reminded of one of my favourite quotes, “Confidence is like a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it gets.” This is definitely a big part of my own business and personal philosophy and something I support my clients with.
So what if you also struggle with your own confidence and how do you feel it is playing out in your business? From my experience, it can mean everything from not showing up consistently to not putting yourself out there for opportunities and shying away from the “spotlight”.
Your belief system and how you feel about yourself directly affects your business, how you show up and the energy you bring to you work. When we get disconnected, it can feel like we are stuck in the mud and this is a big reason why working on our core confidence consistently is so important. If we work on creating solid foundations then it is much easier to build from that place so when we are required to step up or put in an uncomfortable situation we are equipped to deal with it.
Once we have mastered that we can focus on the bigger picture and flexing that confidence muscle. That can mean going after those big opportunities which have previously scared us like guest speaking at an event or being interviewed for a podcast or press feature.
Being visible requires confidence and that confidence comes from believing in the value and expertise we are bringing to the table, how we are helping people and ultimately embracing our story and who we are.
So how can you reconnect to yourself, your purpose and build your core confidence?
1) START WITH WHY YOU STARTED YOUR BUSINESS, WHO YOU HELP AND WRITE OUT YOUR VISION IN A PARAGRAPH OR TWO.
2) THINK ABOUT WHY YOUR CLIENTS LOVE WORKING WITH YOU?
READ THROUGH SOME RECENT CLIENT TESTIMONIALS AND MAKE A NOTE OF THEIR FEEDBACK AND ANY COMMON THREADS. THIS WILL HELP YOU TO FOCUS ON THE VALUE YOU ARE BRINGING THROUGH YOUR WORK.
3) WRITE OUT YOUR POWER WORDS
MAKE A LIST OF YOUR 10 POWER WORDS THESE WORDS CAN BE ANYTHING FROM THE THINGS YOU LOVE ABOUT YOURSELF TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL USP’S. THESE WILL HELP YOU TO BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BRAND SNAPSHOT.
4) REFLECT ON AND HONOUR YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
IT CAN OFTEN BE TOO EASY TO NOT HONOUR WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED. LOOK BACK AT THE PAST 3 MONTHS AND MAKE A NOTE ABOUT ALL THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS NOT MATTER HOW SMALL THEY MAY SEEM. PERHAPS YOU DID YOU FIRST INSTAGRAM LIVE OR DELIVERED YOUR FIRST GROUP PROGRAMME.
Remember working on your mindset is a daily practice. For me it’s about focusing on positive self talk, being kind to myself and acknowledging where I am at and also how far I have come. It’s also about taking action and working towards my goals, even if on some days I feel like I am taking tiny steps. Finally it’s about doing those things which push me out of my comfort zone. These three things together build confidence and with confidence comes growth.