Podcast 93: How to Stop Feeling Like You're Floundering
Dec 02, 2021
Running a business is the biggest personal development exercise ever. One minute you’re on a high and ready to conqueror the world, and the next you don’t know which way to turn.
Building a thriving and resilient mindset plays a huge role in your ability to be successful and stop feeling like you're floundering - and the great news is - it’s something that can be developed.
The powerful combination of a thriving mindset and taking action is the difference between those who are successful practitioners, and those that want to be, but never quite make it.
Optimism alone won’t find clients
It’s scary how many practitioners, especially when first qualified rely on pure optimism to get their businesses going. They start out feeling positive, set their intentions with the Universe, and wait for the magic to happen. And nothing! Before long they’re floundering and not sure what to do next.
Whilst I believe in the Law of Attraction, you can’t just put positive vibes out to the world and sit back and wait. You must demonstrate you’re serious about what you want, with the action you take.
When you’re stuck in a mindset rut
You’ll notice how fast time flies and you never get around to doing the important tasks on your job list. These are the ones that will actually help you find clients and thrive - like marketing.
This is especially true if you’re prone to procrastination, overthinking and perfectionism. It’s very easy to get caught up in the planning and organising stages of projects and feel overwhelmed about it. Before you know it, it’s a month past your deadline, and you still haven’t started.
It’s time to stop thinking and dreaming and start doing!
Know your distractions
With today’s fast pace of life, it is easy to get distracted - sometimes for hours with social media, smartphones, emails etc. We often use these distractions as a way of avoiding taking action on the important things as they keep us busy but in an unproductive way.
Recognise your distractions and put a strategy in place so that you can be more focused on your priorities. For example, limit the times you check your emails and social media or put your phone on silent.
Reality check
The skill of getting things done supersedes talent and intelligence and by cultivating this skill, you’ll be far more successful in your chosen field.
A quick reality check will help you to ensure you’re doing the right things. Being able to objectively view what’s going on will help you to be flexible in your business.
The things you value come at a cost whether that’s your time, hard work, or financial. There is an opportunity cost to everything you choose to do so it’s important to spend your precious resources wisely.
Being realistic about what’s happening in your business will help you to navigate the challenges as they come up and see the opportunities that arise. They may be hard to admit at times but at least you’ll be ready for them, rather than be caught napping.
Resilient self-coaching
Being in business is a huge personal development exercise and will test you to the limit. It can also help you to become strong and resilient – you’ll discover what you’re made of, and capable of.
Part of taking action is facing your fears and finding the courage to move on and creating a great inner coach will help you do this. Think about the qualities of a great coach and create your own, one who is supportive, kind and believes in you.
Listen to the stories you’re telling yourself – these will reinforce your fears and hide your limiting beliefs. Anytime you hear stories that aren’t useful, change them and start coaching yourself to reinforce what you want to feel and believe instead.
Tell yourself you can and will do this, that you deserve to be successful. Reinforce why you want to be successful and remind yourself of what you’ve already achieved.
Ask yourself what you want instead of running the old stories – use positive words here as it is giving your brain direction, and be descriptive.
Just changing this voice will help you to navigate the fears and build your resilience. And also know that most of the time, once you’ve moved past the fear, you’ll discover the fears are often worse than the reality.
Take action
Forget about waiting for the time to be perfect to take action – it never arrives. Instead decide to do a job that is good enough, one that serves the purpose.
Think about someone you know who’s a brilliant action taker - they will be a great role model for you. Consider the times they have an idea, how they respond to it - what can you learn from this person to apply in your business?
Make a commitment to yourself and set an achievable timescale to complete it. Then work backwards, deciding the milestones and steps you need to take - and take the first one NOW.
You’ll be amazed at how much more you will achieve by taking action on the things that will make a difference to your success.
Podcast 93 show notes:
- (01:27) Optimism and positivity won't find you clients
- (02:28) When you're stuck in a mindset rut
- (03:20) Know your distractions
- (04:33) Reality check
- (06:30) Resilient self-coaching
- (09:21) Take action
