The Solo Entrepreneur's Mindful Mindset

THE MINDFUL BUSINESS SERIES

 

If you are a solo entrepreneur, you undoubtedly have a dream and a vision that you are passionate about. You may be in the process of creating and developing your own business. You may have already done it and and are looking to find more meaning from it. Or you may still be dreaming and thinking and planning.  

 

Whatever stage you are at with your dream, you will likely have noticed that creating your own business requires a completely different perspective, a different set of skills and a different mindset than any other job you’ve had. Especially if you are doing it alone. 

 

Creating your own business is a huge and exciting challenge. It takes courage to forge out on your own, to reinvent your life and put your creation out into the world. I promise you, you will be rewarded in so many ways for your bravery and your hard work.

 

I have always worked for big companies, and was very fortunate to have many exciting opportunities, to work with so many inspiring people.  Every experience brought new learnings and I'm grateful for them all.  But it was always somebody else’s brand, somebody else’s way of doing business. 

 

So when I decided to create my own business, I wanted to create a company and a brand that fit my values and my ethos, that expressed my creative vision and allowed me to do exactly what I want to do. And with nobody to answer to but myself. Through the process, I learned that working as a solo entrepreneur is VERY different from working for another company.

 

The learnings came over time. It took me 4 years to bring my vision to life. HUM has been out in the world for about 8 months now, and I learn keep learning and evolving every single day.  

 

Looking back, I can now see the mindset I needed to cultivate as a solo entrepreneur, to be able to accomplish what I want to do, to meet each challenge with serenity and tenacity, to keep going when it became overwhelming, and to figure out how to do just about everything by myself.

 

It might be different from your usual mindset. It’s definitely what you need to cultivate, with time and experience, to succeed with your business.

 

This is the mindful mindset of a solo entrepreneur.  

 

Believe 

First and foremost, believe in yourself, in your idea and in your ability to make your business a success. Never let even the tiniest doubt set in - have unwavering, unshakeable confidence that you can do it, that you have incredible gifts that the world needs.

 

Be passionate 

Be truly passionate  about what you do. Your passion for your business will make it uniquely your own. It will also give you the fuel to get through all the challenges that come up, to move steadily towards your goals, to find creative ways to solve problems, to find innovative ways to do things. As a solo entrepreneur, you have to be self-motivated. Your passion will keep you focused and committed to your project.

 

Be prepared

To do most things on your own

To be constantly pushed out of your comfort zone

To constantly have to figure things out, learn new things

And be prepared to be confident that you can do it!

 

Be flexible

Things usually don’t go as you plan when you are creating a new venture, so you need to stay open and flexible, and go where things lead you. As a small business, you can have the agility to respond with grace and to be proactive when you see the need to adjust, to pivot or to seize a new opportunity. Know that most aspects of your business will evolve over time as you learn and grow. My business started out as one thing, and it turned out to be something quite different. And I have a very strong feeling it will continue to evolve. You just never know what your success will look like, where it will come from. And that’s kind of part of the fun of it all.

 

Be focused

Set your intention. And then focus strongly on bringing it to life. Of course it's not enough to just set the intention, you need to align your intention with actions and do it with great passion and determination. It’s really true, I speak from experience, what you focus on expands.

 

Be patient, and persevere

Things might happen very quickly for you, and maybe they will happen slower than you had expected. It’s important to be patient, to persevere and keep working towards your vision, and to believe that things happen in the right time. Impatience will just lead to frustration.

 

Be optimistic and also realistic

You can do this! Know your strengths and use them to your best advantage. And be prepared to call in the right people to help you in the areas where you are not your strongest or where you have no expertise. There will always be somebody willing to join you on your adventure, and unique cost-effective services that can help you in areas that are not your expertise. It’s also important to set realistic, measurable, timely goals for yourself. Be kind to yourself! And then go for it with all your heart and soul.

 

Be balanced

You really can’t be your best or take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself first. Balance comes from self-care. For me, a regular practice of yoga and meditation has helped me find harmony and balance. My practice is where I find so many ideas, it’s how I am able to keep myself grounded and connected.  It’s where I continue building my awareness so that I can create and develop a mindful business. Find your own way to stay balanced - connecting with nature, running, cooking, painting, gardening…. A balanced, mindful lifestyle will give you the power to accomplish everything you want to do, to be the success you deserve to be.

 

  

Is there anything you can add to this mindset from your own experience?  Please let us know if the comments below.

  

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