If all successful entrepreneurs shared one thing in common, that thing might be self-assurance. If you want to succeed, you have to believe you have the ability to do so. You’re much more likely to take risks and find opportunities that can lead to success if you feel sure of yourself. But contrary to romanticised messages of entrepreneurs bleeding self-assurance isn’t something you’re born with.
Instead, confidence is developed over time, intentionally cultivated by pushing your comfort zone, taking risks, and overcoming challenges. Every entrepreneur has moments filled with uncertainty and self-doubt. They succeed in spite of their fears. Through months and years of experience, they build confidence. You can do this too. Here are 5 tips to overcome insecurity and build your self-assurance as an entrepreneur by Hannah Brennan.
Know what boosts your energy and plan
Some activities leave you feeling energised and optimistic, and others likely fill you with doubt. If you’re introverted, product development might make you certain you’re doing the right thing. If you’re extroverted, you might be refreshed after talking to customers. Know which is which and organise your weeks so that you get a balance of both. That way, you can carry positivity from the highs through moments of doubt and improve your confidence overall.
Create certainty where you can
Entrepreneurship is full of uncertainty. Feeling overwhelmed can snowball into fear and analysis paralysis. Caught between several options or ideas? Just pick one — it’s better to make a decision than sit still, and you can always change it later. Unsure if people will like your product? Publish a survey, run an ad test, or ask strangers on the street. Boost your confidence by creating certainty where you can, and spend more time focused on what’s really important for your business.
Remember your successes and challenges
Recognise that self-doubt is part of the picture for everyone. You’re not alone. It can be helpful to keep a “win list” of past successes and challenges you’ve overcome. It’s easy to focus on the negative and lose sight of what you’ve already accomplished, but an objective reminder can bring you back to your abilities and show that you’re capable of moving in a positive direction.
Improve your posture
Confidence in body language can actually translate to change in your behavior. Just like how smiling can make you happy or dressing well helps you improve performance, standing more confidently makes you feel that way too. The power stance is the power stance for a reason. Next time you’re feeling insecure, stand with your chest up, shoulders back, and eyes looking forward. Not only will this make you look more confident, soon you’ll be more confident too.
Build resilience by practicing failure
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome as an entrepreneur is the dreaded question, “what if I fail?”. The answer is, “keep going”. This question can present itself in many ways, but the only way overcome this fear is to face it directly. Put yourself in front of customers who might not like your product and be the face behind your business. No one became successful by staying in the background. Anticipating rejection is worse than actually experiencing it. Once you’ve been rejected a few times, you’ll find that what you’re afraid of is actually no big deal. You’ll soon find for every detractor, there is also a supporter. Every “no” you overcome is an opportunity to boost your confidence, so put yourself out there. Practicing failure will make you fearless.
All successful entrepreneurs have cultivated their confidence over time. In the beginning, building your own confidence is not going to be comfortable, but know that it can and will improve with sustained effort.
You will have moments where your doubt seems too big to overcome, and then you will overcome it. You’ll build resilience by repeating this process, only to look back on where you were and be surprised by how far you’ve come. Trust that you’re doing the right thing, and trust that every doubt is a normal part of the journey. Every setback is another opportunity. Recognising that is the key to building your confidence as an entrepreneur.
