Entrepreneurs
3 Common Thought Patterns That Keep Entrepreneurs Playing Small

In recent years the topics of the power of our thoughts and human potential have been studied more and more, both in the lab and real world. These studies have shown undeniable proof of what thought leaders like Wayne Dyer and Louise Hay have always known – our thoughts are incredibly powerful and create the reality through which we experience our lives.
And while changing one’s thoughts to embrace more empowering thought patterns and beliefs can change one’s life in ways they never thought possible, we also know that entertaining the wrong thoughts can lead to self-sabotage, imposter syndrome and missed potential.
There are 3 common phrases that seem harmless on the surface, and yet their acceptance and belief only serve to keep people playing small.
1. It’s lonely at the top
It’s no secret that human beings are tribal creatures. We were made to live within communities and support each other. In the mind, a community or a tribe means safety. And ultimately survival.
When we buy into the notion that it’s lonely at the top, we activate one of our most primal fears to work against us. This fear of being alone, of having to possibly be rejected and having to reject or let go of those that we love, leads to a fear that we won’t survive on our own. This sets the fear center of the mind (the amygdala) into a proverbial lockdown, where we sabotage our success to maintain the relationships and connections we rely on and need.
Instead: recognize that success is defined on our own terms. And while the journey to success will push us to grow and improve many aspects of ourselves, we can also choose to maintain the relationships that are most important to us in life. Afterall, how we spend every moment is a choice – just as making money and growing a business requires effort, so do the relationships that we care the most about bringing with us on the journey.
“Every thought we think is creating our future.” – Louise Hay
2. Be realistic
Being realistic is the enemy to entrepreneurship and innovation. To be realistic means to put a limitation or ceiling on what you are capable of achieving. And what is realistic depends completely on one’s belief systems about themselves and the world around them.
Society has never in history been moved forward towards the innovation and technological advances that are a standard in our world today by people being realistic. It was once scientifically believed that humans could not run a 4-minute mile. Roger Bannister, however, refused to believe this notion and since he broke the 4-minute mile barrier in 1954, thousands of others around the world have done it since.
It was unrealistic to think that humans could fly across oceans in a metal tube, until the Wright brothers invented the airplanes. Early computer sales people were told that computers were a phase, today you can find one in most every home and business.
When entrepreneurs buy into the notion of being “realistic” they let their fears and limiting beliefs tell them what’s possible. Instead: believe in the extraordinary and your potential to create it!
3. If I am grateful for what I have, I’ll lose motivation to achieve more
Experiencing gratitude for what you have and what you have achieved will not leads to complacency or a lack of motivation to continue to grow. In fact, gratitude does quite the opposite!
Our unconscious minds, specifically the Reticular Activating System, is designed to seek more of what we focus on. When we focus on making money, we are continually searching for more ways to make money. When we focus on gratitude, we unconsciously search for more ways to be grateful or more things to be grateful for. Therefore, the more gratitude we experience, the more motivation we’ll have to continue to grow and achieve.
“Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.” – Buddha
In fact, neuroscientist Andrew Huberman from Stanford University shares that by celebrating our wins and practicing gratitude leads to having more overall energy. When we are constantly in a hustle mode, always striving to achieve more and more, our bodies continue to produce cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline – a combination of hormones that is known to deplete our mental and physical energy in the body. If you’ve ever experienced a hit of adrenaline (whether jumping out of a plane or dealing with an emergency) you know this to be true – while you may experience an initial hit of clarity, focus, energy and strength, as soon as the adrenaline inducing event is over you find yourself exhausted.
Dopamine and serotonin on the other hand buffer the effects of these stress hormones so we can experience true limitlessness. Dopamine is released in the body when we celebrate our wins, both big and small. Serotonin is released when we experience and feel grateful for anything in life.
Moving forward, start celebrating your daily wins and find time to practice gratitude for what you already have so you can ride the wave of energy and motivation to your next win, and the one after that!
Entrepreneurs
5 Major Challenges Female Entrepreneurs Face in Business Today

The business world is mostly dominated by men. But over the years, we’ve seen countless women entrepreneurs rise above expectations and defy norms. The number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. increased by 114% within the last twenty years, of which 70% were started by women of color. The reality is that women are playing an important role in driving global economic growth. However, despite women’s massive success, they still face challenges today that most of their male counterparts don’t. (more…)
Entrepreneurs
To All Entrepreneurs, Stop Being One-Sided

When starting out, it is an uphill battle for many entrepreneurs to find their voice in their industry and get their business out there. Just like you may have experienced when job hunting back in the day, employers wanted you to have a certain number of years experience in the industry, but no-one actually wanted to give you that experience. A catch-22 that can feel totally unfair if you know your own capabilities and just want the chance to prove yourself. (more…)
Entrepreneurs
The Mindset That Keeps Successful Entrepreneurs Sane on Social Media

Social media may have been around for the better part of two decades, but society is still learning the effects such technology has on our mental health. For emerging entrepreneurs, social media is a double-edged sword. Now more than ever before, we can start conversations and share our wins and successes, but we can also waste time chasing meaningless attention. At worst, we can suffer feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. (more…)
Entrepreneurs
How Does Emotional Intelligence Impact Entrepreneurship?

You don’t really need to be the smartest person on the planet to be successful. Skills and personality play an important role in the success of an entrepreneur. Emotional intelligence is one such trait that successful entrepreneurs vouch on. Emotional intelligence has arisen on the scene over the most recent couple of years as the secret to success in the business world. Nowadays many organizations look for this quality while employing their leadership team. (more…)
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