Inspirational Tips for Creative Entrepreneurs
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One of the biggest challenges faced by entrepreneurs is how to elevate your mindset in order to elevate your business. Cultivating my mindset is one struggle that I’ve had personally with Spoken Black Girl. Whenever the bills are piling up and my energy is low, I wonder, “Is it really worth it to continue on with my business?” Then I connect with my community and I realize, “Yes, girl! Keep going!”. One of the toughest realizations you can have as a business owner is that sometimes when your business is underperforming in any one area (social media, marketing, internal communication, organization, finances) it actually means that there’s more work for you to do! Oh joy! Just remember that you chose this path for a reason and you are equal to the challenge! So here are some inspirational tips for entrepreneurs who are struggling with a scarcity mindset.
What is Scarcity Mindset?
Scarcity mindset is what I like to call the feeling of not-enoughness that holds us back from unleashing our full potential. You might think there aren’t any clients who want to work with you or no customers who would be interested in your product. You might be unconsciously putting a cap on what you can achieve or earn. Scarcity mindset can impact the way you move in the world and how you show up to others. What you expect is what you receive, but it’s scary to expect “too much” from yourself. But at the same time, how has expecting too little been working out? Yeah, I thought so!
Are you living in abundance?
One of the most obnoxious sayings in the wellness community is “You need to live in Abundance!”, but what does that even mean? We certainly don’t want to do anything we can’t afford just to “Live in Abundance”. One important thing to remember is that Abundance isn’t just financial. It’s the way you think about the possibilities in almost every aspect of your life. Abundance to me is living in the realization that every moment is full of new opportunities and possibilities. Just because you are struggling one day doesn’t mean that’s what tomorrow will be like. Think of it as giving yourself a small dose of optimism every day. Use affirmations to manifest abundance.
Do you set goals?
Goals are incredibly important for entrepreneurs because no one is going to tell you when you have passed the finish line on certain achievements. Worries your business isn’t making enough money? Do you know how much you made last month? Did you set a new goal for this month? If you are worried about not growing fast enough on social media, you might surprise yourself if you look at the actual reports. Then you can examine what works and what doesn’t. Your most recent ad might have not been the best return on your money. That Instagram follow thread on Facebook might have been the best thing to happen to your business’s social media for a while. The more you know, the more empowered you can be as a business owner.
You don’t have to work harder. Work smarter!
So there’s an area in your business where you feel you are lacking. Maybe instead of piling tasks onto your impossibly high to-do list, you could possibly reorganize your priority list to make it happen. For business owners it often feels like every aspect of your business is a priority. Having a trusted team to divide work up with is great, but most start-up entrepreneurs don’t have this option. Maybe you’ve even had a bad experience with someone who promised to help your business. But that’s a whole other post! Just know that you are running your own race. You don’t have to overwhelm yourself doing everything at once. Incorporate rest into your schedule if you know you burn out often (and then actually rest).
Find a Community of Entrepreneurs
No one understands entrepreneurship as well as other entrepreneurs! It’s a unique journey and not everyone is going to “get” it, so don’t even bother trying to explain it to someone in a different field. Conversations like that are usually disappointing in some way, at least in my experience. You might be venting about an issue in your business and your non-entrepreneur friend suggests you try another path, not knowing that your business and its success are precious to you. Talk to another entrepreneur who gets what you’re going through and can even help you generate ideas on how to get past the block you are experiencing. Two of my favorite communities for creative entrepreneur inspiration are Women Creatives Chat and Pretty Entrepreneur. Check em out!
Take Care of Yourself
If you are juggling a business with the rest of your life, you have to be your first priority. We always hear the analogy of putting your own oxygen mask on first before you help someone else and this is absolutely true for business owners. Your business can’t be healthier than you are. That means you might be depleting yourself with something that is actually supposed to give you life, especially if you are running a purpose-driven or creative business. You are the magic. You are the fuel.
So I hope these few tips can re-inspire you to go for goals as an entrepreneur. Don’t give up! If I can do it you can too.