When it comes to starting an online business I feel people rarely talk about the hard times. Well, they do but it’s often in quick terms like ‘the first year was very difficult’ or ‘I struggled juggling family time and work time’ or something along those lines. But it’s a lot more than that. I mean, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. It’s not just about the first year struggles or the stress of time management. Those are certainly important ones but anyone who’s been through it (or going through it) will tell you that it goes much deeper than that.
It’s not just about the first year struggles or the stress of time management. Those are certainly important ones but anyone who’s been through it (or going through it) will tell you that it goes much deeper than that.
So what are some of the details I struggle with personally? I’m gonna tell you.
1. Staying inspired – I’ve got lots of ideas but am often all over the place. What a way to kill inspiration.
2. Staying focused – Goes hand-in-hand with #1. When I’m not focused, I AM all over the place and if I’m all over the place chances are I’m too busy trying to focus than be inspired.
3. Feeling discouraged – well hell, it’s hard not to these days. The competition online is through the roof! Trying to think of ways to stand out can feel extremely frustrating.
4. Comparing myself to others – This is a big one. There are others we feel inspired by but we can sometimes start comparing our own work to theirs. It’s a trap that we should really fight hard not to fall into.
5. Wanting too much, too fast – Another big trap. I admit, I sometimes want instant gratification (ie big social media following, more sales, recognition, etc) without realizing this all takes time.
6. Trying to do it the way others have – What works for one person (or business) may not work for you.
7. Judging myself too harshly – most times we are our own worst enemy.
OK, I’m probably forgetting a few things but you get the drift. I find the only way I can address something is to actually acknowledge its existence. Now some solutions.
- Staying Inspired: In my experience of trying to find ways to inspire myself, I am more productive when I’m not actively looking for them. Taking a break from the laptop or ipad, social media, etc. is the best way (for me, at least). Get outside, go shopping (window shopping is fine) – see things, talk to people, go for a walk, a bike ride, take the kids out and go sight-seeing. Do anything, but do it away from your usual workspace. You’ll be surprised at how much inspiration pops up when you’re not searching so hard for it.
- Staying Focused: This one is particularly tough for me. I have soooo many things I want to do that I often get overwhelmed, getting less done and at a slower pace. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but when your mind is cluttered, your energy is too. Keep a notepad and write down a list of things you want to do. Take each one on at a time. The list will keep growing, but that’s ok – just keep checking off the list as you go along. As you start to check off a few things, you’ll feel empowered to check off more.
- Feeling Discouraged: You made a great product, course, design, etc. and put all of your hard work into it only to have it flop. Rejection (as I wrote about in my last blog post) never feels good but it can motivate us (if we open ourselves up to allowing it to). For every ‘loss’ we’re due for a ‘win’. Look at rejection as an opportunity to see ways you can grow. Instead of feeling discouraged, see it as a chapter in the ‘book’ of your journey. Because if it were actually a book, it’d be pretty boring if everything went perfectly. See the ‘losses’ as part of your journey and things will look better in perspective.
- Comparing Yourself to Others: “How come she/he has more followers than I? We started at the same time!” or “That’s such a great idea, why didn’t I think of that?”. The truth is, we compare ourselves to others all the time, in all aspects of life; on looks, intelligence, skills, experience, etc. – which in some cases can motivate us – but mostly it just makes us feel discouraged. Stop doing it. We can admire someone’s talents and skills without thinking less of our own. Try dancing to the beat of your own drum. By thinking differently, we not only come out of our own shell we actually excel in what we are best at. Embrace those differences and you find yourself.
- Wanting Too Much, Too Fast: Starting a business in the best of times is tough in itself, let alone starting one during a pandemic, where many businesses are still feeling a ripple effect from shutdowns. Give yourself a year (at least) to keep at it, even if it’s just a side hustle for the time being. Also, put the effort in because nothing good ever comes from less than your best.
- Trying To Do It The Way Others Have: While we can certainly learn from the mistakes of others and gain from their experiences, we don’t need to follow their every move. A sales tactic, branding style or social media effort that works for one business may not necessarily work for yours – even if you’re in the same field. You don’t need to start shooting those dancing videos and posting them to Instagram to get attention. I mean, you can if you want…but you don’t need to. Find your own style; be personal (to a degree), professional and keep the topic focused on what it is that YOU do. See what works and what doesn’t. You’ll find your groove.
- Judging Yourself Too Harshly: This is huge. Most people are really good at picking on themselves. We are our own worst critics to the point of bullying. We beat ourselves down, tell ourselves we’re not good enough, smart enough or talented enough so many times, we actually start believing it. Yes, know your lane in terms of what you’re good at and what your field is…but never be afraid to swerve a little and when you do… ride those twists and turns like a champ! I can’t say it enough, you’ve got to get out of your own way.
I’ll tell you a little story. Recently there was something I really wanted and worked very hard to get… only to be rejected. I wasn’t devastated but I was discouraged. So began the downward spiral of thinking I wasn’t good enough, that I should just give up. But I didn’t give up and low and behold, a few days later a ‘win’ came along. That’s what it’s been like for me. Good days, not so good days – back and forth. Me feeling high from the win and low from the loss.
However, what I’ve learned is that both these experiences can help me tremendously. Now I try to see them from a different perspective – that nothing in life is certain (except for death and taxes, as they say) and that everything is always changing. After all, Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’ isn’t about being the strongest or the smartest, it’s about how well we adapt to change.
After all, Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’ isn’t about being the strongest or the smartest, it’s about how well we adapt to change.
No, we don’t want to just survive, we want to thrive and you can’t thrive if you don’t open yourself up to change. Look at every experience as a chance and adapt your mind to how you can best thrive from it.
That’s all for now…I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments.
