They have the self-confidence to take action.

Think about it. Out of all the people who told you they had a great business idea, how many of them actually took action on their ideas? So what stops people from taking action? A lack of self-confidence.  

It’s that sneaky voice in your head that constantly questions you. It asks: “Are you really intelligent enough?”, “What will people think of you if you fail?”, “Do you have enough experience to succeed?”

Now for the good news.

Self-confidence can be learned.

1)      Organize Your Fears

Think about the last time you felt fear. Were you thinking about something happening at that present moment, or something that could happen in the future? It is likely the latter is true. A lack of self-confidence can lead to a storm of “what if” fear-induced questions about your future.

Take control of your fears and write a top ten hit list of the things you most commonly worry about. (90% of your thoughts are exactly the same ones you had the day before, so it is likely that your top ten hit list gets a lot of plays.) 

Once you do this process, you will give each fear less power, and it will increase your self-confidence.

2)      Get Self-worth from Yourself, not other People

When you are an entrepreneur, you are putting yourself in a very vulnerable situation. You are in an unstable profession where you could fail easily (and people will notice).

So how do you stay self-confident during the up and down journey of entrepreneurship? Build strong self-confidence within yourself, because if you draw all of your self-worth from other people, you are setting yourself up for failure. 

Thomas Edison is a great example of an entrepreneur with unshakeable confidence. The inventor of the light bulb failed numerous times before being successful and is quoted to have said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” If Edison had listened to other people’s views about him after a few failed attempts, it’s likely he would have quit trying. 

Whether you’ve wanted to start a small business for a while, or you are looking to increase the success of a business you already own, the power to increase your self-confidence is in your hands.

The post Two Ways to Create the Self-Confidence of an Entrepreneur appeared first on WeBC.

Luckily, you can change your mindset about productivity and implement habits that make productivity enjoyable.

Try these tips to maximize your productivity:

1. Every morning tackle the top three things you are putting off

If you start your day off by tackling the top three things you would rather put off for the day, you will feel more self-confident in your abilities to achieve goals. This is because each time you set a goal and achieve it, you release the feel-good chemical dopamine in your brain motivating you to set more goals and achieve them. Procrastinating on the other hand, as you may know, feels bad, and leads to more procrastination.

2. Choose a life segment to focus on every day

On a piece of paper, write down these seven segments of your life: work/finances, fitness/health, social relationships, hobbies, self-development, self-care and family. Next, put a number between zero and ten next to each segment about how you think you are doing in each area. (zero being the worst. ten being the best.)

Every week, choose one or two segments you feel you would like to improve on and focus on them. Doing this exercise will show you how much influence you have over your life and how small constant changes can create big outcomes.

3. Do a daily activity to get into the zone

Have you ever felt so invested and interested in something you are doing that it feels like time has stopped? That’s what it feels like to be in the zone – where you are at the peak of your productivity and creativity. The great thing is there are ways to intentionally get into the zone, rather than accidentally falling into it.

What gets people into the zone is different for everyone, but you can try mindfulness meditation (which increases blood flow to your prefrontal cortex in your brain which allows you to focus more easily), exercise (which makes you feel more alert and awake), and morning journaling (which can reduce the number of thoughts you have, allowing you to focus on the present moment).

Try one of these tips today and start thriving with goal setting and a focused mindset.

The post Three Feel-Good Things To Do Every Day To Increase Your Productivity appeared first on WeBC.

If you are a female entrepreneur, here are three reasons you should get a mentor now:

1) Give your confidence a boost

According to the 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor U.S. Report, nearly two-thirds of men are confident they can start businesses, but less than half of women feel they have this capability. This is despite comparable levels of education and experience. Mentors are fear-busting support systems. They help give you confidence by offering guidance as you start a small business. They can also help you differentiate rational from irrational fears, which allows you to focus your time on preventing some of the more common startup mistakes.

2) Give you funding guidance

Women don’t like asking for money and the stats that illustrate this are quite shocking. Research shows that women are more likely to be financially conservative and don’t ask for money until they’re ready for it. Women entrepreneurs only get 19 percent of angel funding and about six percent of venture capital, making it much more challenging for women entrepreneurs to build companies that can grow and succeed. Mentors can guide you through the funding process and encourage you to ask for funds if needed.

3) Expand your network

Women also tend to have smaller networks than men, which puts them at a huge disadvantage. Studies have shown that entrepreneurs with larger and more diverse networks grow their businesses bigger. Women also tend to seek advice from more personal sources, such as family and spouses, whereas men tend to ask their friends and business networks. Mentors can help you increase your business network and introduce you to helpful business contacts.

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