Remember the story of “The Little Engine that Could?” This has been a favorite children’s book for generations. According to Wikipedia there have been many versions of the tale over the years. The basic plot is that a long and heavy train begins pulling its load over a mountain when its engine fails. Strong and powerful engines decline to take on the job.
A smaller but enthusiastic train engine agrees to try. Though it is difficult, he perseveres by repeating the mantra “I think I can, I think I can.” The train finally makes it over the mountain with its cargo of toys and is proud of himself and receives much appreciation and fanfare as a result.
Having a positive mindset is important
Automobile entrepreneur Henry Ford observed that “Whether you think that you can, or think you can’t, you are usually right.” Having a positive mindset is essential to achieving your entrepreneurial goals. Without a positive mindset you’ll constantly be battling your own brain, and that’s exhausting.
- You’ll convince yourself that your ideas are dumb
- You’ll believe that when success takes longer than you hope that means you aren’t good enough
- You’ll be sure that others you see are better and have achieved more than you faster with less work.
It is easy to see how you might talk yourself out of launching a new product, finding affiliate partners, or writing your book. Without a strong positive mindset you’ll be back at a full time position, working on someone else’s business because you don’t have the confidence to create your own.
But what exactly is a positive mindset?
It is easy to understand how a positive mindset can make a difference. It is harder to pin down what a positive mindset is and how to develop one. One way to go about building a positive mindset is through developing habits and habitual responses that strengthen our capacity to stay hopeful.
You can increase positivity through mindset habits
Even if you are not naturally a very positive person, you can change your default attitudes and responses to be more positive over time by developing mindset habits. Here are three mindset habits that will help you to believe in yourself and your business.
1. Dress like the boss
When we work at home, it’s easy to fall into a habit of wearing sweatpants and T-shirts to the office. Why take the time and effort to do anything else? But if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to instantly shift your mindset in the right direction, dress the part of the boss. You’ll find you feel more professional and more confident, plus you will be ready for client Zoom calls.
2. Before you finalize a decision, make sure it is not based on fear
Too many would-be entrepreneurs operate with a scarcity mindset rather than approaching business from a place of abundance. If you find yourself telling yourself that you can’t afford to take a course, hire a virtual assistant, or work with a coach, try reframing your thoughts.
If you find yourself thinking “I can’t afford to attend that event,” ask yourself, “How can I earn the money to invest in this trip?”
Instead of complaining to yourself that you have to do everything yourself because you can’t afford to hire help, remind yourself that your hourly rate potential is much more than you’d pay a virtual assistant. Then fill those hours you’re saving by spending them on money-making tasks of your own.
Develop the habit of reframing your thoughts and you’ll turn negative self-talk into positive solutions that help your business grow.
3. Just because you’re a solopreneur doesn’t mean you should go it alone
It is said that you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. If your circle doesn’t include any entrepreneurs, you are putting yourself at a disadvantage. You can gain a stronger mindset through regular contact with others with similar goals.
There are many ways to develop meaningful connections with other entrepreneurs. If you have money to invest you can hire a business coach to work with you one-on-one. But there are other options too.
- Join a lower cost group coaching or mastermind-type program.
- Create your own accountability group by meeting regularly with one or two people in your network.
- Take a course which offers a Facebook group of people with businesses similar to yours.
Try on these habits and see if they help
Our little choices and actions add up over time to make a difference! See if you notice any positive changes in your mindset from adopting these three habits. Leave a comment to tell us know your results. Please share this article with your network by using the buttons below.
Excellent ideas! I feel more energized and motivated after reading this!
Thank you!