Be honest. How many half-written books, partially planned programs, and unfinished products are cluttering up your hard drive right now? Learn what behaviors are keeping you from earning your worth.
If you’re like most service-based entrepreneurs, the answer is probably several. You started all of them with great enthusiasm. You planned out the modules or chapters, created the slide decks, and maybe even outlined the sales page.
And then…you got distracted by some other “shiny object” or just stopped working on it. You may have even told yourself that you’re too busy, or you “need to do some more research, or maybe you simply lost interest.
However, the truth is none of those are the real reason. For a lot of service-based entrepreneurs, this self-sabotaging habit is actually rooted in a lack of confidence, and it keeps you from the success you deserve.
Do these behaviors resonate with you, know that you’re not alone!
Read More: Dreams To Goals: Where do you want to be five years from now?
We’ve all experienced it, especially at the beginning of our entrepreneurial journey. At one time or another, we’ve all fallen into the self-sabotage trap, and have had to learn how to navigate our way out of it because we got tired of experiencing one, or all the following:
- Income shortages, or the being in constant fear of not having enough
- Low self-esteem or confidence in ourselves and abilities
- Frustration, burnout, and even resentment towards business the same business you’ve poured
- your heart and soul into creating
The effects of self-sabotage can lead us through a downward spiral, which can cause us to lose hope and give up altogether. But the good news is, you can learn to stop the spiral before it starts and recognize self-sabotage behaviors, By simply paying attention to your thoughts and behaviors, you can begin to recognize one of the biggest symptoms of self-sabotage.
I’m referring to Procrastination, one of the biggest “dream killers” we face on our entrepreneurial journey. Have you experienced any of the following scenarios?
- That high-end coaching program you always wanted to apply to but missed the deadline
- You were going to send a proposal to a potential new client but waited too long
- You simply waited too long to take advantage of a sale price on a tool or resource to help you in your business
These and other missed opportunities can often be blamed on simple procrastination. It’s what keeps us working late at night to make a deadline, costs us money in late fees, and even costs us business.
If you’re prone to procrastination, consider implementing these techniques to finally put an end to this destructive behavior pattern:
Recognize your fear
What often keeps us stuck is simply fear. We’re afraid that even with that amazing coach we still won’t reach our goals, so we put off applying. We’re afraid we’ll look bad when compared to other proposals, so we just don’t send one. But if you want to be successful in business and life in general, you must learn to recognize and face your fears, let go of old behaviors, and then do the work anyway.
Read More: 5 Ways On How To Overcome Self-Doubt
Visualize the life and business you desire
Imagine what it will be like to have that amazing business you’ve been dreaming about. Picture your ideal workday, daydream about that fabulous vacation you’ll take, and imagine the impact you’ll make in the lives of those you’re called to serve.
Reward yourself
It’s okay to give yourself a little incentive for getting things done. Take yourself out to lunch (or order in), buy a new pair of shoes, or take an afternoon off. Do what’s most likely to motivate you to power through your fears and take the next step.
Rather than filling your hard drive with half-finished projects, power through and start releasing them, even if you don’t think they’re perfect, or that others may not buy them.
After all, you cannot improve upon something you’ve never completed and released, nor will you ever know the actual success rate of a program you’ve never finished. These kinds of behaviors are keeping you away from completing your goals. Remember, done is better than perfect!
So, acknowledge your fear, process it, let it go, and get back to doing the work of helping people become better versions of
themselves.
