Let me be completely transparent here: while I’m extremely confident in how my business runs and the work my team and I do for our clients, I’m not always confident in myself. Is anyone, honestly? I don’t think I’m alone when I say I occasionally struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome as an entrepreneur. 

If you find yourself in the same boat as me, let me be the first to tell you— you’re normal and it’s okay not to feel confident 100% of the time. Let me also tell you— you shouldn’t be stuck in a cycle of self-doubt every day. To help you combat doubt and be a more confident business owner, leader, and entrepreneur, I put together a few tips that have helped me over the years.

Give Yourself A Break

When I start second-guessing every move I make, it’s typically a sign burnout is around the corner. The solution is simple in theory but complicated in execution: take a break. This will take intentional planning on your part, but break times should be on your schedule every single day. Consistent breaks will sustain your mental, physical, and emotional health over time.

Take Action

If there’s a certain area of your business consistently triggering your self-doubt, it may be time to take action to build your confidence. Identify what the area is, why you’re feeling the way you are, and what you can do to remedy it. Let me give you an example.

Let’s say I wasn’t confident in my onboarding process and felt inadequate signing new contracts with clients because of this. Rather than letting the issue prohibit me from creating new business opportunities, I would take action. This could look like taking an online course about client processes, investing in an online onboarding program, or hiring a third party to handle onboarding for me. Not only would I feel better taking action against my doubt, but I would ultimately eliminate the area of doubt by developing my skills as a business owner.

Be Your Own Cheerleader

Listen, sometimes you just need a good ol’ pep talk to get you back on track. Affirmations are powerful and can actually help! No, you don’t have to stand in front of the mirror and compliment yourself (if that’s your thing, awesome), but you can remind yourself of your value and the skills you bring to the table. List out your strengths and accomplishments you’re proud of— seriously, get a pen and paper and write them out. Remind yourself of recent client wins or rave reviews you’ve received. You are in business for a reason, and you’ve made it this far because of your grit and determination.

There’s simply no way to feel confident all of the time, but there are some things you can do to build your confidence as a business owner and leader. Don’t forget you are valuable and your business is important! Defeat doubt one day at a time. We got this!