3 Things Entrepreneurs Are Terrible at and How You Can Fix Them

I’ve noticed something. And I’m curious if you’ve noticed it, too. It seems like just about every time I scroll through my news feed to see what’s a buzz in the world of entrepreneurship, I get totally bombarded with a hoard of inspirational articles like “7 things successful entrepreneurs do every morning” or “12 unconventional entrepreneurs who made it big”. Does that happen to you too?

Don’t get me wrong; I love reading these types of articles just as much as anyone (that’s why I love Addicted2Success). It’s kind of fun to find the similarities between yourself and the inspiring business leaders you see on the page in front of you. And hey, it gives you a nice little ego boost as well.

But it’s also good to take a reality check every now and then, and realize that us entrepreneurs– we’re people too. Behind that bold, strong, fearless facade we put on every day, we’ve got our Achilles’ heel just like anyone else. But there are things that we need to get better at.

Here are the 3 things that we, as entrepreneurs, are notoriously bad at (and how to fix them):

1. Admitting that you’re already successful

Tell me if you’ve ever had this thought before: “Always pushing myself is what’s gotten me to where I am today. If I ever ease up, I’ll never be successful.”

I have, too. It’s human nature to cling to that underlying, subconscious belief of “I am not enough”. But let’s take a closer look and investigate what’s buried inside of this little fear: “Always pushing myself is what’s gotten me to where I am today” … the implication being that you’re actually proud of where you are today! Who knew?

Most of us are able to sing the praises of other successful entrepreneurs with ease, but when we retreat back into the depths of our subconscious, we beat ourselves up relentlessly.

It’s healthy to feel that innate desire to improve and become the best versions of ourselves, that’s what’s gotten you to where you are today, right? But when you’re struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel, or you start to feel yourself suffocating under that never-ending pile of work, it’s time for you to take a step back.

Walk away, look at the bigger picture, and realize that where you’re at today is already pretty darn good.

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey

2. Rewarding yourself

Let’s get back to the basics of human psychology here. We all know about Pavlov’s famous experiment on classical conditioning, right? Reward “good” behavior, and you’ll start to see more of it. It’s Psychology 101. When you look at it this way, rewarding yourself on your wins, no matter how big or small, is a no-brainer.

Even so, entrepreneurs are notorious for being type-A, hustling, go-getters, (as I sit here typing this at 5 AM on a Saturday…) but it’s easy to forget our little wins, and even our big ones, when we’re constantly grinding, pushing ourselves, and replenishing our to-do-lists.

Use these 2 steps to spark an immediate sense of accomplishment from just about anything:

1. Make checklists. Just the simple act of crossing something off a list sparks an instant sense of achievement. Even if it’s something as little as sending an email or outlining a blog post, write it down and check it off!
2. Tell someone else. When it’s a big victory that you’re dangerously close to ignoring, just post on social media, or tell a friend or family member (preferably a loud one) and watch what happens. They’ll make sure you celebrate appropriately.

3. Asking for help

Easily the quickest and most powerful way to accelerate your progress at anything, asking for help is… well, it’s scary. Entrepreneurs hate to show even a hint of weakness, uncertainty, or vulnerability, especially when they think it could jeopardize the credibility of their business.

What do high-performing athletes, CEOs, and celebrities alike all have in common? They have coaches. They have mentors. And they understand that the sooner that you pinpoint your weakness, and find someone who can help you, the sooner you’ll reach your goals.

It’s scary to admit that you need help to get where you want to go. But the second I finally did, I felt like I was lifting an immense weight off of my shoulders.

When I finally hired a  business coach, within days of our very first call, I started seeing real, tangible results. It completely blew my mind. But a coach who’s been where you want to go has this ability to see around corners that you just can’t, no matter how hard you try.

It’s scary to question your own success, but when it comes to your business, the sooner that you admit that you need help, and find someone who’s been where you want to go, that’s when you’ll accelerate your progress and results in unimaginable ways.

 “The strong individual is the one who asks for help when he needs it.” – Rona Barrett

As an entrepreneur, what do you need to start getting better at? Leave your thoughts below!