Whether you’re starting and growing a business, making a career change, starting a new relationship, writing a book, or any other goal, they all require risk, nerve and a lot of courage, before confidence ever shows up.
But you need more than the knowledge and the skills.
Remember your thoughts create feelings ➡️ feeling create actions ➡️ and actions create results.
You have to stop thinking about your past fears, failures, mistakes and embarrassments. And this is why it’s so hard to do that.
This statistic completely blew.my.mind because it really hones in on the fact that what you thought yesterday is what’s holding you back today.
The way we think is a habit. And we can change habits. We can change the way we think.
YOU have the power to change your trajectory simply by saying “stop” to the thousands of thoughts that come today that didn’t serve you yesterday.
Here are 3 mindset shifts to help you hit your goals.
#1. Move from “I’m a fraud and they’re gonna find me out, “ to “Feeling like an imposter is normal when I do something new. “
Imposter syndrome is a regular visitor. It never goes away. Use it as a way to remind yourself that you’re putting yourself out there – that you feel this way because you are acting courageously and doing something new even though you don’t have all the answers and you don’t feel ready. Don’t use it as an excuse to stop.
Stop believing everything you think. Here’s how:
Acknowledge your credibility and success.
What’s something you’ve accomplished in your life that makes you feel proud? Feel that, acknowledge that. You have a track record of success. When you acknowledge that it’s easier to NOT to believe everything you think.
Be aware of the stories you tell yourself.
If you’re stuck in the story that you’re not credible or you’re not that original or you’re not going to be successful, that’s exactly where you’ll stay.
If you look at the proof of your credibility and accomplishments, you can use that to reframe your story that you are in fact successful, credible, and unique. Then you’ll start to show up with confidence.
Get out of your head and into your heart.
It’s hard to think you’re a fraud if you believe in what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.
If you’ve lost your WHY, revisit it now.
What was important about this goal when you started it? What excited you about it? Who are you serving? How will your life be different once you accomplish your goal?
Tap back into the heart of the matter and make the decision to move forward based on your WHY instead of the garbage thoughts of fear and self-doubt.
#2 Move from “I’ll just test the waters,” to “I’m going ALL IN even though I’m scared.”
It isn’t about making your first million or having a New York Times Best Seller right out of the gate. In the beginning it’s about you actually showing up and committing to playing a bigger game.
Go all in no matter how scared you are.
Playing small looks like – I’ll just send out a few emails or I’ll take a course on how to write a book, is only delaying your success – success that’s inevitable if you show up, if you do the work, if you put yourself out there and don’t give up.
Create weekly content, collaborate with others in your industry, create a habit to write every morning, invite that person to dinner.
It’s too easy to just sit on the sidelines. You may be doing enough to get by. But you’re not working on the big thing that could really move the needle.
So, stop making excuses.
Stop dabbling in your dreams.
Play full out.
#3 Move from “I gotta get it perfect,” to “Good is good enough.”
Stop overthinking everything and giving in to perfectionism.
Perfectionism is nothing more than procrastination. Yes, there are a million decisions to make related to your goal. You put off making any decisions because it’s all so overwhelming.
But remember, not making a decision is making a decision. You’ve made the choice to NOT try. To NOT go all in. To NOT move forward.
Here’s the underlying truth; making the decision isn’t the hard part. It’s the fear of the outcome, the fear of getting it wrong, the fear of anything less than the perfect right decision.
Here are a couple ways to move to this mindset of “Good is Good Enough.”
Become a Learner
Successful people aren’t perfect and they don’t always get it right. But they are learners.
You aren’t perfect and you have permission to not always be great, not always get it right, as long as you commit to being a learner.
Coach Yourself Through the Doubt
Ask yourself, if you did know what to do, what would you do?
Answer it, and then do it.!
It’s time to give yourself permission to do B+ work and take perfectionism off the table.
WRAPPING IT UP
Keep showing up. Your confidence will build over time.
Think about your first day on the new job you had. You didn’t know the systems, the people, or even where the bathroom was. But 6 months later, you solved a complicated problem, and you got a “well-done” from your boss. Things started to take shape.
And the same thing happens when you’re taking action on your goals. Once you start doing the stuff, you start figuring it out because you keep showing up.
Action and consistency will help create more confidence in you and your abilities to hit your goals.
Focus on the future you want and commit to taking the necessary steps to get there.