Has Thinking Small Got You Stalled?

woman in boxOwning a small business is one of the best self growth paths I know—after parenting! Some people call this acquiring the entrepreneurial mindset. It pushes us toward examining the personal roadblocks, habits or ways of thinking or doing that are keeping us stuck where we are. If we chose to ignore the signs that something isn’t working then we stay unaware and stuck.

Years ago I had a wake-up call when I had become complacent and one of my businesses, a highly successful restaurant, began to stagnate and sales declined. It took a few honest advisors and some soul searching to realize that I had gotten too comfortable with the success we’d experienced and had not really continued to learn, grow, try new things and plan well for future growth.  What really hurt was when I realized I was only going to be as successful as I truly believed I could be and I had reached that limit. So at a certain point my business had stalled, unable to grow to the next level.

One of the hidden reasons that so many small and solo businesses flounder is because of the limited thinking of the owner. Have a conversation with a struggling business owner and listen to the language they use. You’ll quickly see if they are thinking small and keeping themselves in a tight little box.

When you think small you often have a “can’t be done” mindset and use phrases like “I don’t have the time”, “it won’t work”, “I don’t have the money”, “it’s too hard to learn”, or “I’ll do it myself”.  People who keep themselves small spend tons of time going after a few low dollar sales, accept less-than-ideal clients and often feel afraid. This is the result of some false beliefs that can silently steal your inner power, potential and joy but which can be changed.

For example, suppose you believe that you must struggle and work like a madwoman to succeed. Or suppose people around you think what you do isn’t a “real” job and it causes you to lose confidence. Perhaps you have a belief that if you don’t always put your kids, spouse and other family members first you are a bad person.  Or maybe you believe that mastering the technology you need is impossible for you, so you settle for small. These are just a few of the painful beliefs that can cause you to give away your power—that inner confidence and determination that is waiting to take you outside the box to a place of joy where you can soar to success.

I can remember the moment, after much hard work on changing some limiting beliefs I had grown up with, when I realized there was abundance available for everyone. I had to completely change my belief system around money and success because the truth was that I could always create the income I desired. I could always reach higher. Do you believe that’s true for you? If you don’t, why not?

Once you open to the possibility that BIG things are possible for you, then not only do new opportunities magically present themselves, but you become open to investing time and money to get the help you need. You stop wasting your energy worrying and fussing over minor details. You stop procrastinating. You start thinking strategy and you start to take fast action. You listen to your heart and instincts and act from a place of power. You start thinking like a million-dollar business owner. Your confidence grows and people respond.

It’s really an amazing process. So I hope you’ll answer these questions.

  • What do I truly believe I can achieve?
  • What would my ideal business and income look like?
  • Where am I keeping myself small?
  • What do I believe that keeps me stuck?
  •  Who do I admire that has achieved what I want to achieve and do I believe I can do the same?

The answer is—you can!

Join me for this upcoming free training teleclass—5 Secrets to Creating as 6-Figure Business in 6 Months on Wednesday, March 9th at 7 PM ET.

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