Women in business face a unique set of challenges when trying to maintain their confidence at work. Starting a business takes courage and can get stressful.
What makes it even more challenging is that society expects female founders to be confident, decisive people who never have any doubts or regrets all the time.
These expectations prolong moments of insecurity and self-doubt when the reality is that there are times when women don’t feel as confident or assertive at all.
Even women with established companies go through these moments. Feelings of inadequacy creep in for various reasons.
Maybe they are in an industry where men typically dominate positions at the leadership level or because they are overwhelmed with what needs to be done.
However, with the right mindset, even these negative feelings can lead to future success by using them as motivation instead of letting self-doubt hold you back!
Here are some tips for dumping self-doubt.
1. Remind yourself of past triumphs as women in business.
When uncertainty inevitably hits, remind yourself of past successes to help build up your confidence. Think about how far you’ve come and all the things that have gone right to reach these goals–and give yourself credit for each accomplishment!
2. Learn from your mistakes
Remember that success is not instantaneous, and it takes a lot more than just good intentions for things to go your way 100% of the time. Mistakes happen, so learn from them!
Take advantage of them, see mistakes as an opportunity for reflection. Understand what happened and do better next time.
3. Resist the pessimist
We all have that little pessimist living inside us. Sometimes, he/she gets bigger and noisier. Distract yourself to stop the pessimistic thoughts from consuming you. You can do this by listening to music, taking a walk, doing exercise or changing your project around. These are effective ways to prevent negativity from poisoning everything around you.
4. Face your fears
Do not let fear dictate how you operate your business. Think about the worst-case scenario once in a while and come up with strategies to combat them. Face them with the courage to reap benefits far beyond those of people who are far more cautious about their lives than they should be!
5. Embrace your decisions
Having to make an important decision can plunge you into self-doubt. Don’t experience analysis paralysis. Think about it clearly and make a choice. Pro Tip: Go with your gut. It is usually the right choice.
6. Find your cheerleaders
No person is an island, especially in your business life. Surround yourself with like-minded people who are cheerful and supportive of your goals. Distance yourself from pessimistic individuals to stay motivated and hopeful about what lies ahead in your future!
Finally, joining a community of other women in business is a great place to find the confidence you misplaced.
Join The Network for Women in Business today. You’ll get tons of tactical knowledge for growing your business, as well as the emotional support you’ll need as an entrepreneur.
