Overcoming skepticism and fear as you go after your dreams
Learn to tune out everyone who tells you, ‘That’s impossible.’
Thinking of starting your own business? If you’ve talked about it with your family, friends, or colleagues, chances are you’ve encountered a naysayer or two. It’s sad, but it’s almost a given that people will express doubt. Ask any entrepreneur and they’ll tell you the staggering number of times they’ve been told that they either couldn’t achieve something or that their idea wouldn’t work. Personally, it’s something I went through as well!
When I first got started with Meraki, there was a lot of skepticism around becoming an entrepreneur because of my age and because I didn’t have a degree in social media. In fact, even my mom–who’s actually very supportive–was also very skeptical just because she knew how difficult it was to actually make it as an entrepreneur.
So, how did I make it through that?
Overcoming Skepticism and Fear
Skeptics, my own doubts, and fears almost stopped me from going after my dreams. But then, I thought to myself, ‘What if I don’t go for it?’ If I didn’t go for it, I would’ve always regretted not believing in myself and chasing after my dreams.
So, I stopped questioning myself and went for it–and when I did, that’s when everything started to go right.
Here are a few thoughts that kept me going as I chased after my dreams– and I hope they’ll help you too!
Remember: It’s all about YOU. When you’re launching a business, it’s all about following your intuition and grounding yourself. It’s about actually figuring out what YOU want out of life and not just deciding to enter into a job or a role, because that’s what you went to school for.
You always have to be self-aware (and constantly work on it). Take the time to reflect and react to certain situations with a level head– don’t just jump in or have a reaction that’s off the cuff. Being self-aware means monitoring your own reactions and emotions. Self-awareness also allows you to know your weaknesses, strengths, and other characteristics.
Don’t be defensive (or try not to be). In that first year, I would feel super attacked, or really caught off guard. My mom would ask me lots of questions like, ‘How many clients do you need?’ or ‘What do your taxes look like?’ I would get so defensive and hurt. Now, I see that she was just trying to guide me.
As an aspiring entrepreneur, you’ll encounter a lot of skeptics. And while this is easier said than done–try not to be too defensive or hurt. Instead, take a deep breath, calm yourself down, and think about how you can handle the situation in a way that makes you feel in alignment. This strategy can also be used when you encounter not-so-nice feedback from clients–I think that this is a really important part of running a business.
Tap into YOUR intuition. This is so important for young entrepreneurs to hear. When you’re first getting started, you’re reaching for any advice that you can possibly get. And when you hear all of this noise constantly, it’s so overwhelming, right? You’ll have so many questions as you get started, and you’ll hear a lot of ‘advice’ from many different people around you. The most important thing you can do is to tap into and listen to YOUR own intuition. Trust yourself and believe that you can achieve your dreams!
Also, be mindful of how much advice, opinions, and information you take in. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, what you have to do is shut everything down, spend your 20 minutes a day, put the application away, and make sure that you’re limiting your knowledge intake so that you can tap into exactly what YOU want.
Bottom Line
When launching your business, the most important thing is to believe in yourself and stay positive. Embarking on a new venture is both a terrifying and amazing adventure that you’re going to want to enjoy every second of.
Don’t get distracted or discouraged by skeptics–be open to differing opinions and criticism, but also know how to tune out negativity. Believe and invest in what you’re doing–you can do it!