{"id":88256,"date":"2022-05-24T10:48:47","date_gmt":"2022-05-24T18:48:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/?p=88256"},"modified":"2022-06-06T09:02:03","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T17:02:03","slug":"how-to-build-self-confidence-to-start-a-business-or-side-hustle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/how-to-build-self-confidence-to-start-a-business-or-side-hustle\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build Self-Confidence to Start a Business or Side Hustle"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Failure. Humiliation. These are the anxious feelings that creep up the spine of many of us when considering starting a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Triumph. Pride. These are the feelings we need to focus on instead!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to say just flip the switch from fear to courage. So let\u2019s turn those words into practical actions! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As someone who has started businesses that have resulted in \u201clearning moments\u201d as well as successes, I\u2019ll give you the exact keys to unlock your self-confidence to get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True Confidence Comes From Prior Success<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No \u201cfake it \u2018til you make it\u201d mumbo-jumbo here. Think of what you\u2019re actually confident in. It\u2019s in the activities where you have experienced success!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, your business or side hustle will incorporate some aspect where you feel truly confident in your abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a wise person once proclaimed, \u201cskills pay the bills.\u201d Where are you skilled?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you wanted to open your own restaurant, I\u2019d recommend you feel confident in some aspect of the restaurant industry. You might be a terrific chef, always getting compliments on your vegan lasagna and gluten-free sugar-free fat-free key lime pie. Or perhaps you\u2019re outstanding in marketing, or at interior design, or managing teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to know that one aspect of your business is going to shine!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, I\u2019ve known writers who went from making the website owners who employed them rich to opening their own site as a business! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure they had to learn along the way, but they always knew their writing would be excellent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So think about where you are special. That thing you currently do as a hobby that generates lots of positive feedback could be your new business! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, it\u2019s making candles that smell like food. My pepperoni pizza candle will be coming to a store near you! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start Slowly<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Confidence is built up over time as you reach milestones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s rarely a need to jump into your new business with both feet. Sure you\u2019ll make a big splash, but that\u200b\u2019s also how you drown. Dip your toe in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your little toe isn\u2019t bitten off by a shark in a snazzy business suit, you\u2019ll feel confident enough to put one foot in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that many successful businesses start out as a side hustle? I worked for a married couple who started a travel website while they both had full-time jobs as accountants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t until it was clear that their fun travel site was generating good money that they felt confident enough to quit their jobs to completely focus on their new business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proper Perspective Is Essential<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t put so much pressure on yourself! It\u2019s OK to \u201cfail.\u201d It\u2019s OK to make mistakes. This is how you learn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, you want to fail faster! That means you\u2019re going outside your comfort zone, being brave, and learning. You\u2019ll pick yourself up and march on, this time armed with more knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I learned that people don\u2019t want a candle that smells like boiled asparagus. They want a bacon-scented candle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s failure anyway? Imagine your best friend or a loved one. Her or his dream is to make romantic guitar music. This is your loved one\u2019s true passion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would you be disappointed if they gave it their best effort and it just didn\u2019t work out? Or would you be proud that they gave it their best shot? And along the way they did fun shows, were smiling all the time, and lived their best life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or would you really be disappointed if your best friend or loved one constantly talked about following their dream but never did? There was always an excuse. There was always a \u201creason\u201d to procrastinate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be your own best friend. Treat yourself as well as you treat your loved ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surround Yourself With Positivity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s be real. Starting a business is tough! So make sure to start and end your day with positive talk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And talk with the most supportive people in your life. You need optimists to help you focus on the good stuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should absolutely be aware of the reality of your business, even when it\u2019s struggling. But that doesn\u2019t mean negativity will help you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You nee\u200b\u200bd cheerleaders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your friends and family should be your trampoline. You fall down; they bounce you back up. And when you make a strained metaphor, they say, \u201cHey that trampoline visual wasn\u2019t great but I really liked the pizza candle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrate Small Successes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I admit it. I used to feel silly or even ashamed to celebrate the \u201clittle\u201d wins along the way. I was like, \u201cI have a big goal. Big deal if I accomplished step 1 out of 10.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that was wrong! There\u2019s a reason baseball players get a high-five and clap when they get a single. Sure, it\u2019s not a home run. But it sets up the next play. It\u2019s positive momentum!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, would you diminish your best friend\u2019s milestones? If your best friend had a goal to lose 20 pounds and he lost his first 2 pounds I\u2019m sure you wouldn\u2019t say, \u201cWhatever, tubby. You\u2019ve got a long way to go. Maybe you\u2019d be slimmer if your house wasn\u2019t decorated with bacon-scented candles!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No! You\u2019d say great job! You can do it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Words Matter<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Speak to yourself like you\u2019d speak to your good friend. Never belittle yourself. Don\u2019t be your own worst enemy! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stand tall and focus on two things when you speak: your REASON for starting the business and your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday I will get another step closer to the freedom to work on something I\u2019m passionate about. Today I will delight my customers who are counting on me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn From the Best<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A shortcut to feeling confident is to get someone who has had success on your side. This could be a mentor, a business coach, or even reading or watching content from a person with a track record you admire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I was a kid learning how to ride a bike, I felt better knowing my dad knew how to ride a bicycle and was there to teach me and encourage me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I wanted to learn how to hit a baseball, my dad wasn\u2019t as skilled but he pointed me to books and videos from the best hitters. I felt more confident knowing I was modeling the masters rather than making it all up myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The people I\u2019ve been around who do NOT have confidence tend to do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n