January flew by, and we’re already in the second month of the year. If you’re realizing you haven’t made much progress towards achieving your 2019 business goals, it’s probably time to take a look at your business mindset.
Sometimes we have all the skills in the world, a fantastic business idea, and the best intentions, but our mindset is what’s holding us back from success. Here are a few business mindsets and limiting beliefs that you should leave in 2018 so you can excel over the next several months:
You’re not ready yet.
If you wait until you feel ready, you’ll be waiting a long time to do anything. Starting something new will always feel intimidating. Eventually, new things will become second nature. Many opportunities are waiting for you on the other side of your comfort zone.
Last year, I was worried about speaking for the first time at a conference, and it went really well. I got asked again to speak on a panel this year, and I didn’t think twice. You have to step outside of your comfort zone in 2019 if you want to reach your big audacious business goals.
You can take care of everything yourself.
Tax accountants are tax accountants for a reason — they advise you on strategy. Bookkeepers manage your invoices and payments. Publicists get you publicity. Designers create a cohesive brand. Social media strategies plan your social media strategy.
You can’t be an expert at all things. Wearing too many hats can burn you out and take your focus away from parts of the business that really need your attention. Hire out and invest in the tools you need. Start a business savings account where you save for various business investments. Scaling a business is tough when you try to do everything on your own.
Your new idea has already been done so it’s not worth trying.
There’s hardly anything new under the sun. Putting your take on a business idea makes it unique to you. Elon Musk did not invent the first car. He invented an innovative take on the car, and Tesla was born. Just because someone else is running a similar business doesn’t mean there isn’t space for you to come on the scene and bring something new to the table.
More followers and subscribers will mean success.
Followers and subscriber counts aren’t a reliable markers of success. This is good news for business owners who aren’t yet social media famous.
Someone with a few hundred followers could make more money than someone with a few thousand followers. What matters is the monetization strategy, the engagement of the audience, and the audience’s willingness to pull out their wallet and buy.
Focus on what matters. Understand the needs of your customers and learn what they want to buy from you. The pain points of your customers mean more than vanity metrics like your follower and subscriber account. There’s no point in focusing all of your energy this year on amassing a huge follower and subscriber base if they don’t convert to sales.
Put that energy towards actions that directly increase your bottom line like trying to better convert the subscribers and followers you already have, tweaking sales copy to get their attention, or creating new products that align with their needs.
At the start of January, we’re excited for the promise that another year brings. But bringing old habits, beliefs, and mindsets into the new year won’t bring about change. Think about what mindsets held you back in 2018 and commit to making improvements so you can have something to celebrate in December.
