Let’s be honest here. Being an entrepreneur can be a difficult task. There are a lot of challenges that you will likely run into, all kinds of changes you have to keep up with and pressure seem to be always weighing you down. To help you steer clear of obstacles and reach your goals faster and easier, here are 9 entrepreneur mindsets you need to make to help you succeed as an entrepreneur in your online business.

Entrepreneur Mindsets

1. Focus on the right things 

One of the most important entrepreneur mindsets you need to have when it comes to running your online business is your time. It is easy to get distracted and keep yourself busy by throwing yourselves into countless meaningless tasks. Checking emails, make small adjustments to your website to “make it perfect” are just some of the many things that you might be doing. 

We all have the same amount of time every day so instead of spending time on the small things that don’t require your attention, focus on tasks and actions that can help you grow in your business journey. 

2. Stop doubting yourself 

Doubt is a big part entrepreneur mindset that you need to get over. It’s ok to have doubts every once in a while but don’t let those moments drag you down. If you don’t see results right away, if things aren’t going as smoothly as you hoped or you have been spending more time than what you expected on certain tasks, understand that it is normal.

If you make mistakes or realise something has gone wrong, and yes something will likely go wrong ever once a while, instead of putting yourself down and wondering if you should continue, take a second to reevaluate, think about what needs to be done, take a deep breath, correct the mistakes and continue. 

As an entrepreneur, especially solopreneurs, you are your biggest fan. You need to cheer for yourself louder than anyone else. When doubts arrive, welcome them in, understand them and then send them on their way. 

3. Stop spending time with the wrong people

Jim Rohn once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”. 

Have a look around you. Who are you hanging out with? Are you spending time with people that might drag you down emotionally? Bear in mind that if you’re looking to become a business owner, you might need to quit investing so much time worrying about people around you and spend more time with people that can add value to your lives. 

Keep an eye out for poisonous people, the ones that tell you your dreams are difficult, who distress you, the ones that are negative. It’s alright to leave them behind since you are embarking on your journey as an entrepreneur. 

Surround yourself with people that share a similar passion as you, join masterminds and community with other entrepreneurs and business owners, learn from industry leaders to help yourself grow. Join us at our Facebook Group to find other entrepreneurs to partner with.

4. Don’t be afraid of failures

No one wants to fail. No one likes the idea of losing money, time or energy and being disappointed. But if you are scared of failures, then you will never leave your comfort zone and try something different. 

Most of the time, the most successful entrepreneurs are born out of bad circumstances, feeling terrified and anxious. Only through failing and learning will you learn, understand what to do and what not to do and succeed in reaching the goals and meeting your vision. 

When something doesn’t go the way you want it to, don’t freak out. Think about what went wrong, what you learnt and never make that mistake again. 

5. Know your limits 

A lot of entrepreneurs are over-achievers. You want to write 10 blog posts, create 20 social media posts, finish 5 videos, make 100 designs in one day. That is simply not possible. Setting unrealistic goals will likely just demotivate you and even after achieving amazing results, you would still be staring at that insanely long to-do list you have assigned yourself for the day, feeling like you have achieved nothing. 

Your time and your focus are minimal and there’s only so much you can focus on in one single day. Stop setting yourself up for failure by creating unachievable goals. Plan ahead, set up your big goals, understand how to get there, set up 3-5 small but actionable goals for the day, and aim to achieve these. 

Use apps like Slack, Asana and Trello to manage your tasks.

6. Embrace the changes 

Technology is constantly changing these days. Maybe you have been incredibly comfortable the way something is going, then suddenly changes happen. 

No one likes unpredictable things. Most of the time, changes take time to get used to and for you to adjust to. Adapt to these changes and welcome them, because most of the time, the changes are for the better. If the change isn’t for the better, pivot and make adjustments. There are always solutions, you just need to embrace them. 

Treat change like your good friend, not the enemy. This is what successful businesses have done. Entrepreneurship and technology work together. The faster you accept that fact, the better.

7. Be a Lifelong Learner

There’s no such thing as a business owner who has grasped every single aspect of the business. With the development of technology, every market is constantly evolving, new methods keep getting produced, the way people do advertising and marketing are also shifting all the time.

Not just to understand but activating practising and learning is important when it comes running a business as an entrepreneur. Allow yourself to learn and keep yourself up to date with the ever-changing online world. Try brand-new things, experiment with new tools, learn from other entrepreneurs, business owners and mentors. 

Use tools like Blinkist, Audible and Skillshare to continue learning and improving. Find out more about different courses, mentors, coaches that are RIGHT for you through Your Entrepreneur Resources Connect network.

8. Stop holding onto your business so tight

There comes a time in the life of an entrepreneur when you must stop holding onto your business like it’s your baby. Yes, you created this baby, you feel protective of it, you want to be there for every single part of its growth. But doing this will just limit what your business can become.

You simply can’t do everything yourself. Allow other people to help you. Delegate tasks to virtual assistants, designers, content creators. This can free up time so you can spend time growing your business with planning, networking and making connections.

Delegation, as hard as it could be, is the structure of business growth. Deleteging can teach you how to let go of the work that’s not something you need to always be doing. Stop doing those repetitive tasks and anything that can be automated or handed over to others. Allow people that are great at these tasks to take over so you can concentrate on your most efficient activities and help to bring your business closer to your vision. 

You can check out platforms like OnlineJobs.Ph, Fiverr, Freelancer and Upwork to find freelancers and virtual assistants to help you out.

9. Enjoy your life

Being an entrepreneur can mean spending hours, days even weeks on end sitting in front of your computer, doing nothing but typing away on your keyword, trying to get another blog post out there, another social media post up and running, creating a campaign. It is a never-ending cycle. 

Did you really decide to be an entrepreneur to enslave yourself into a hamster wheel? Have you turned into that terrible boss that never lets you get off work? Stop doing that to yourself. Trapping yourself will likely just demotivate you, lower your creativity and make you hate your business. 

Go read a book, binge some netflix TV-shows, travel around, hang out with your friends, spend time with your family and live a little. 

Conclusion

I will be the first one to admit that I am guilty of trapping myself at one point or another in my entrepreneurial journey and it is easier said than done to make these mindset shifts. It takes small and steady steps to change and sooner than you expect, you will see yourself happier, more productive and achieve your goals faster and easier. Are you ready to make some mindset shifts as an entrepreneur? Let me know in the comment section below which ones of these mindset shifts you are committed to making today.