What is a success mindset? Is this something you’ve heard of? Something you’ve wondered whether you have? A success mindset, also knows as a growth mindset, allows you to keep going, even when the odds seem stacked against you, or what you’re trying to achieve is seemingly impossible. You see opportunities and you have the drive to keep pushing yourself forwards to those goals and visions of your future.
On the flip side, some of us have what’s called a fixed mindset. Those with a fixed mindset will see barriers and potential limitations, and they may well give up and or feel that they’re just not equipped with the skills to make things happen.
The good news is, even if you have a fixed mindset, you can actually work towards the qualities of a success or growth mindset. And doing so will open up the opportunities in front of you and propel you forward to achieve your goals.
Why is a success mindset important for small business owners?
Running a small business is no mean feat. We start our businesses because we’re passionate about something that we know people need and want, and we just want to get that product / service / idea out there. Unfortunately though, we don’t just need to do that thing that we’re brilliant at. We need to become a little bit of everything in order to spread the word and get people’s interest and attention, and also get the business itself up and running. Suddenly, we see all sorts of challenges opening up that test us in ways we never realised we would be tested.
If you have a fixed mindset in this scenario, you are going to struggle a lot along the way, and it’s not dramatic to say that you might give up. But what about if you could challenge that fixed mindset and allow yourself to be open to, and develop, a success mindset?
How can I use it to boost my business?
Here are 5 top tips to help you work on a success mindset and give yourself the very best chance of success with your small business.
1. See fear as a challenge rather than something that holds you back.
We get scared. Fact. We set goals and have dreams that are fun to create and day dream about. The reality can be that what we need to do to bring that to life and make it happen, can feel terrifying and perhaps we have zero idea of how to get it done! What is also a fact is that this fear is just perceived, it’s not a reality. And with a fixed mindset we will be wired to automatically doubt our ability to tackle these tasks. We will tell ourselves we can’t do it, that we’re not good enough, that we lack the skill set etc etc.
If you had a success mindset you would embrace the challenge. You would still be aware that it takes you out of your comfort zone. Aware that you may not “yet” possess the skills or experience to get it done. But you’re more likely to find out ways to make it happen. Whether that’s learning new skills or seeking assistance.
2. Celebrate and be driven by others’ successes.
Another form of fear that paralyses those of us with a fixed mindset is that of Imposter Syndrome. Also known as the fear that others are doing better, and are better than us. Once again, this is a perception and a result of negative self talk, rather than the truth. When peers do well or excel in their field, even if it is also your field, be happy for them. Celebrate their successes and delight in the fact that this thing can be done, and therefore you can do it too. You are unique, only you can do you, so use that evidence of others’ successes to drive you on to do your very best and challenge yourself.
3. Find positivity and optimism.
It’s rare for a success mindset to thrive amongst negativity and pessimism. Being outwardly and inwardly optimistic and looking for the positives will serve you so well and has a direct impact on mindset and success. Each day, seek out what went well, what you enjoyed, what you’re grateful for. Quit focusing on what went wrong, what might go wrong and other frustrations.
4. Keep fit and healthy
A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. A success mindset is a great one to have, and this is most definitely boosted by a healthy lifestyle. Choose to eat a rainbow and get active every day. Exercise of any kind – walking, running, dancing, cycling, tennis – awakens your body and your senses. It gives a rush of endorphins and boosts that positivity and optimism we just talked about.
5. Be consistent and don’t overthink
Those with a fixed mindset will overthink and procrastinate, ultimately leading to a lack of consistency. Think of the social media presence of a small business owner. One day you feel good and that little boost of confidence allows you to crank out a few posts. Perhaps a first video they’ve been thinking about doing for months. The next day the positivity wanes, they start thinking too much about perception. What other people think of them. About the things that aren’t quite perfect. And they end up not posting anything for a while because they’re too worried.
Flip to the success mindset and you’ve got someone who knows things aren’t perfect, and that they’re unlikely to ever be. They go with their gut, make quicker decisions and get things out there knowing it’s good enough. And also that they don’t need everyone to like them! Consistency helps you achieve the “know, like and trust” with your ideal clients, which is what we all want. So dial down the internal negative chatter and move forward with purpose and passion.
We hope you have found these tips helpful but if you’re looking for support to implement them, why not consider joining our membership community? You’ll find a whole tribe of women who know what you’re going through, and are ready to help you to build your confidence and your success mindset, and grow your business! Come and join us!