It's easy to see why most people are frightened to start a business. We're inundated with reasons not to; it's too hard, we can't fit it around working hours, the economy isn't good enough, it could fail and of course, because it will cost too much money. People are terrified of going into debt through starting a new business. In fact, a friend of mine said she wouldn't start one because she had heard that most business don't make a profit in their first year and what if she lost all her money?
Well, while the break-even rule might be true for a lot of business, it definitely wasn't for mine. When I was 18 I started my mobile spray tanning company with just over £300 and I made that money back within 2 months. When I added eyelash extensions to my services the initial investment was just under £500 - and that turned into a £25,000+ a year income. A £25,000+ income working from home and less than 30 working hours a week, might I add. Not a bad outcome from a small investment.
If you want to open a superstore or go into property development you will definitely need a lot more than £500, but if you don't always need a lot of money to start a business... What do you need?
A strong mindset. You need to be the master of your thoughts.
Persistence. Courage. Patience. Tenacity. Unwavering belief. Focus.
Whatever it is you decide to call it, however you wrap it up - it starts with your mind. If you don't believe you can start a business, quite frankly, you won't. If you're not mentally prepared for a few setbacks you won't survive them. It doesn't matter how much money you throw into it, the strength of your business with be a direct correlation to the strength of your mindset.
There are many great entrepreneurs that started with little venture capital and went on to create multi-million dollar businesses. There are countless business owners who failed first too. Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he 'lacked imagination'. At 30, Steve Jobs was removed from the very company he had started. What if Richard Branson had decided starting up Virgin was too risky? What if Bill Gates was too afraid to go into debt over starting Microsoft? What if Mark Zuckerberg had felt he was too young to create Facebook? The business leaders of today, and of all time, share one thing in common - an unshakable belief in themselves and their company.
I know what you're thinking. 'They were lucky. They were born with that mindset.' Whilst it's not your fault for feeling this way, as a society we tend to blame luck, grace, Buddha, God or whatever powers that might be for success - you're wrong. If a person is willing to then they can definitely strengthen their mindset, even if they weren't born with it or haven't had it installed in them already. So how do you build your mindset? Feed it. Nurture it. Protect it.
Read. Fill it with knowledge.
It's no secret than most entrepreneurs read on a daily basis - and by read I don't mean tabloid newspapers or your twitter feed. Study the greats that have gone before you, discover their secrets. Read biographies. Research books that business people have already recommended. Read any blogs on mindset. Watch motivational videos. Listen to podcasts. I promise you if you started watching and implementing the advice of Tony Robbins your mindset will elevate itself.
Meditate. (Breathe).
Meditation is quite a scary concept for most people. Over the years many have been made to believe that it's a woo-woo and difficult concept but it's not at all. Meditation begins by simply breathing and focusing on each breath. It's a successful way to quite your mind and organise your thoughts. It's also another favourite of successful people. Try downloading a meditation app or checking for guided meditations on YouTube, you can incorporate this beneficial habit in your life in as little as five minutes a day!
Visualize and affirm.
Visualizing is arguably one of the most powerful tools in achieving your goals and dreams. More than simple day dreaming, visualizing is the process of consciously imagining yourself achieving your goals and living the life you wish. Scientific research has proven that your mind cannot distinguish an imagined thought to something that is happening in real life right now. Affirmations can aid in the belief of you achieving your goals too! You can do these by creating a vision board of what you wish to see in your life - cut out pictures of things you want, write down goals and feelings you hope to achieve and really focus on the feelings of having it now. Boost your belief by affirming it daily. It may feel like a lie at first, but it's going into your subconscious somewhere. Try it for a week and see how much more motivated, focused and confident you feel already in achieving your goals!
Guard it. Be persistent.
It's not enough to strengthen your mindset, you have to keep it there. You have to maintain it. These practices need to be repeated daily to be effective and once you have noticed a difference it's not time to stop. Like any muscle without use it will grow weaker. Do not let outside influences in; turn off the news, only listen to music that makes you happy, let go of the toxic relationships in your life. Do anything necessary to protect your mental health. It might not seem easy at first but if you take small baby steps every single day you will surely reap the benefits in the future.
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