Ever feel like your path or journey in life is unclear? And that whatever you’re trying to accomplish is taking forever or that others are passing you by? Ah, the huffing and puffing that is the entrepreneurial hustle! I think this creeping doubt hits us all and is to be expected. It’s how we choose to deal with it that truly matters. As a full-time writer, I am an entrepreneur, or solopreneur as I prefer to call it. While I write because it’s what I was born to do, it’s also my profession. So, I consistently fret over how well I’m doing!
I don’t buy into the fallacy that all entrepreneurs are hard-charging, super-confident go-getters that never doubt their decisions—quite the opposite. Being an entrepreneur means digging into the basement under your soul to excavate every little doubt devil. And coming up with a plan to combat them when they reproduce. (Because that’s how doubt devils work.)
To me, anyone who has thought long and hard about a problem (consumer need) and come up with a solution (business concept) is great at introspection. But perhaps a little too good at times. Navel gazing is fine up to a point. Mark Manson has a great piece on the 3 levels of self-awareness that is a must-read. (Coarse language warning, though!)
Don’t LIVE with the doubt devils though. Diagnose, Deal, and Done. The bottom line is to approach your self-doubt like a business problem to solve. Let’s face it…it IS a business problem if you don’t! We aren’t all on the same path with the same exact skill sets tackling the same actual issues, so why would you expect to gauge your progress by how someone else is doing? And yes, we all have colleagues, mentors, and rock stars in our respective fields that may make you disagree with that last statement. I still say stop it. You’re not them. They aren’t you. Period. Doubt devil! Let’s face it, with enough time and money, a competitor can replicate what you’re doing, but they don’t have your heart, spirit, or drive.
That’s all you. Uniquely you.
Today I hit the gym and spent time on the treadmill. I hate exercise. Everything about it: I can find the most creative and clever ways to escape it. But now that I’m doing it regularly, I have discovered that it gets easier, and I’m getting stronger. And lo and behold…I feel amazing. The endorphin release is wiping away my anxieties and giving my restless energies a place to escape. I always come back refreshed with a clearer head to tackle my writing hustle.
I noticed an elderly gentleman on the treadmill next to me, and he was walking as fast as he felt comfortable (a slow pace by any account) and would stop every 3 minutes for about 30 seconds. I thought, “Get over yourself; look at that guy. What is your deal?!?!” He smiled at me, and we exchanged hellos. I then noticed that he had taken some small Post-It notes and covered sections on his treadmill’s user panel. He was hiding the distance covered, and time elapsed. ….we live in a world surrounded by technology that constantly stacks us up, rates us, prods us, and competes for our attention while serving our egos. I was intrigued….
Finally, curiosity had gotten the better of me, so I asked him about the Post-Its. He grinned and said, “It doesn’t matter how fast I go or how long it takes. All that matters is that I keep going.”
I grinned and told him how much I admired that and his attitude. He told me to always judge my pace on what feels right in my heart. I silently wondered if we were still talking about the treadmill but thought it would work no matter what. So, I stopped looking at the user panel and started focusing on the book I was listening to. The time slipped away quickly, and I was done before I knew it. Who knew Post-Its are so versatile?
I learned something today, and not just about exercising. I knew that it didn’t matter what pace everyone else was going. It only matters that you’re walking comfortably and are happy with the destination. Still, stay plugged in, and don’t work in a vacuum. Build a network, and use your mentors. Never, ever compare and complain. Adjust when needed but don’t doubt yourself. Keep going.
The miles add up. The destination will get closer. You WILL rock it.
Photo by Paper Textures on Unsplash
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