Somewhere in life, our brains start to detect threats where they don’t exist in reality. When we catch these false threats, we begin shaping a reality that creates emotions of self-doubt, anxiety, stress, and worry. Building confidence as entrepreneurs allows us to leap toward risk and make hard decisions that result in a lucrative outcome. Here are three key points to eliminate self-doubt and secure your goals this year.
As I was networking with other military spouse entrepreneurs, my friend shared how she felt as she prepared her business for PCS season. She started telling us how she was expressing her negative self-talk to her husband and how he abruptly stopped her language by saying, “Hey, you are talking about my wife!” I immediately thought, what if our business responded to us that way? “Hey, you are talking about my founder!” or “Don’t talk about my designer like that!” It’s important to recognize and challenge the negative things we think or say about ourselves by examining the evidence behind them. Question the validity of self-doubt and reframe them with what is a documented truth about you. Doing this will empower your beliefs and consciously shift your mindset to focus on your strengths and past successes.
Another helpful key that I found useful for overcoming self-doubt is to cultivate a tribe of people who support you and catch the vision that you have for your business. Building confidence as an entrepreneur should be done in a manner other than solitary confinement. In the moments of connecting with like-minded individuals and mentors, we receive guidance, encouragement, and perspective. Our tribe or inner circle (#amsetribe) is a safe place to share your threats, opportunities, and weaknesses while they, in return, reassure us and help us navigate through challenges. One step forward that you can begin today is to write down positive, self-affirming, and visionary exercises that reinforce your belief in yourself and your talent.
The last key to overcoming self-doubt is my favorite! Award yourself and celebrate small wins. All work and no play can steal the joys of entrepreneurship. A famous entrepreneurial quote suggests that we begin with the end goal in mind. Trello has been one of my go-to free software systems for tracking my goals and outcomes. With Trello, I can create an award board listing all my favorite things. I have a restaurant category that lists all of my favorite dinner spots. A dessert category that lists my favorite dessert spots, and I continue with creating categories for places or things that I love to go to. Awarding ourselves and celebrating our wins builds business momentum and can reinforce our belief in our capabilities. When we celebrate and acknowledge our accomplishments, we boost our self-confidence and shift our mindset positively.
Building confidence is an ongoing process that requires patience and perseverance. Embrace the challenges as they come and dare to be disliked. We will develop the confidence to thrive and succeed as entrepreneurs with time and practice.
- By Jaiya Clarke Founder of Jaiya Clark learn more at
Jaiya Clarke is an author, speaker, and joy strategist. She impacts and transforms the lives of women globally through her best-selling book, The Keys to Unlocking Your Joy! Jaiya has an MBA in Organizational Psychology and Development. She has written multiple lifestyle resources to enhance soul care, personal growth and spiritual maturity. Jaiya is passionate about building communities that nurture the spiritual wholeness of women. She regularly shares impactful community discussions about identity, soul care, boldness, and freedom.