November
17, 2020
6 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
With relatively few barriers these days when it comes to establishing your own business and an increasing number of enticing “abundant lifestyle” posts from entrepreneurs showing up in your feed, it’s no wonder that you’ve also taken the bait. You created a business, you picked up a few clients, but maybe the momentum isn’t there. Perhaps you’re feeling exhausted already or you don’t feel like you’re connecting with your audience. What gives?
Approximately 20% of new businesses fail within their first year, and those whose businesses make it past that time tend to jump head-first onto the self-care bandwagon. Self-care has become increasingly mainstream, but it is especially a staple among entrepreneurs, both new and seasoned. This is because they are highly likely to experience some form of burnout as they struggle to keep afloat. Here are the top reasons why that happens.
1. You’re hustling, grinding and rushing
Fast doesn’t mean first. More doesn’t mean better.
The problem with many entrepreneurs is that they tend to be want-repreneurs, AKA, the ones throwing spaghetti at the wall hoping that something will stick. Let me guess: You have a ton of great ideas, but no plan or strategy.
Related: 5 Insider Secrets of Millionaire Entrepreneurs
This is the reason why you’re hustling, grinding and rushing all the time: lack of direction means you’re hemorrhaging time and energy. You’re so busy trying to be like Richard Branson by tackling 100 things at once when you’re only two steps in that you end up scattered, uncertain and exhausted.
Remember: The tortoise beat the hare and won the race.
Slow down and take stock. Plot out deliberate benchmarks. The ones who thrive get to where they are because they are sure of what they offer, clear of their direction, and courageous enough to say “no” to things that don’t make sense to them. They also know which actions bring in the most results, and they are not afraid to think and talk in numbers. If you know where you’re headed, and you focus on taking one step at a time in the direction you desire to go, you will get there.
Ask yourself today, “What is the one thing I need to do? What should I focus on right now?”
2. You’re trying to be relatable all of the time
Business is a little less about what you offer and a lot more about who you are.
It’s about sharing what matters to you, the things closest to your heart. If you constantly stress over what your audience needs instead of simply sharing what lights you up, you will have analysis paralysis and run yourself in circles.
Your target market can get the same services you offer from a dozen other businesses. What sets you apart and draws them into you instead of those others is you! All your little quirks and your favorite things, style and voice and everything that makes you who you are. It’s your authenticity that’s relatable.
Related: There Are 3 Entrepreneur ‘Personas,’ But Only One Can Thrive
If you water yourself down to appeal to everyone, you will end up attracting no one. Leverage those quirks and talk about the things you love. Use your authentic voice and use it loudly. Be who you are, unashamedly, and the rest will fall into place.
Ask yourself today: “What characteristics do I want to focus on? What does my authentic voice sound like?”
3. You are a perfectionist
Business is all about 1% progress, not perfection.
It’s completely normal for Apple to launch an OS update with bugs. If a company as big as Apple can afford to launch a product or service that’s not one hundred percent perfect, why can’t you?
If you start promoting a course before you have all the material mapped out, who will even know? Finish it up as you go. If you publish your book and the first batch is missing the table of contents, who cares? Get back in there and add it for the next batch. Bugs, typos and hiccups can all be smoothed out. What matters is the intention, the core content and the passion that goes into it.
Isn’t it more important to get it out there, imperfectly, than to putter away trying to make sure it’s perfect and it never gets out there at all? You don’t need to waste your time on perfection. The world is waiting for what you have to offer, so go ahead and give it to them.
Ask yourself today: “Am I spending too much time on details that don’t really matter? At what level am I willing to release a product or service?”
What is the reason you went into business in the first place? You wanted freedom, didn’t you? To make your own schedule, to be your own boss and to break free from the rat race.
Struggle isn’t freedom, and that’s where want-repreneurs find themselves. They went into business for joy and they crashed and burned out. It’s ironic, really, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Take a few steps back to contemplate what your big vision is, then make the moves that will help you get there. And above all, trust in who you are and what you have to offer, because you can make a difference by owning your difference. You can have a sustainable and impactful business that is true to your purpose.
“The struggle is real,” as they say … but that struggle doesn’t have to be yours.
loading…
