Mindset: the Secret to Small Business Success?

If you own a business, you are probably familiar with the never-ending battle of self doubt.  Sometimes it's a real struggle to stay positive and keep negativity at bay, particularly in the middle of winter.

One thing I've noticed about successful people is that they don't give in to those negative voices or the self doubt.  They just keep plowing through, keep their goals in sight, and do what it takes.  This may seem so basic, but more people fall victim to the self doubt and keep themselves and their business small than those that break free and become wildly successful.

I have a very hard time staying positive toward the end of winter.  I don't know what it is: the grey skies, lack of fresh air, whatever, I just long for spring and find myself feeling blue.  When you own a business or two, or several, you can't really afford to be blue because you have to serve  your clients, customers and keep your business going and stay passionate.  I was doing some reading last night and came across a great quote that I think is helpful for anyone feeling a bit blue right now.

"To be ambitious for wealth, and yet always expecting to be poor; to be always doubting your ability to get what you long for, is like trying to reach east by traveling west. There is no philosophy which will help man to succeed when he is always doubting his ability to do so, and thus attracting failure. No matter how hard you work for success if your thought is saturated with the fear of failure, it will kill your efforts, neutralize your endeavors and make success impossible."

    French psychoanalyst Charles Baudoin

I think this is a great quote to keep self doubt at bay.  If your mind is preoccupied with negativity and failure, that is the direction in which you will go.  You can follow all kinds of programs or systems, but if you don't actually expect to succeed, you will not.  Your mind should be filled with images of success, realization of goals and you will move in that direction.

---