We all have times when our confidence takes a hit while running a business. It’s a thankless job sometimes that also has its rewards, of course. It can, however, affect your confidence when it’s not going well. When I considered confidence boosters for online service entrepreneurs, I began by looking at a week’s interactions and work.
I considered the things we do in a week. I attempted to cover the way you would experience your average week. It may not capture everything you experience, but I tried to work through the week to help boost your confidence during these times.
What Is Confidence
First, let’s take a look at the definition of the word confidence. You know how I like a good definition. In this case, I am looking at self-confidence and how it applies to our work as online service entrepreneurs.
In defining confidence, I’ve learned from personal experience and client interactions over the years that it is affected by several factors in one’s life. A few of these can include your personal history, successes & failures, and your inner voice.
Bringing it Together for My Definition:
Self-Confidence – how you feel about your ability to manage daily situations & challenges in relationships, work, and with other people around you. Your self-confidence is rooted in your past experiences, successes & failures, and your inner voice. -Tammy Durden
Other Definitions
“Belief in your own competence. It is the conviction that you can successfully meet life’s challenges, achieve goals, and bounce back from failure.
Confidence Booster for Your Daily Work
In our daily work, it is easy to just get robotic. Sometimes we need to keep a record of our wins. Whether it is a daily journal or a weekly record of some kind.
Confidence: Trusting in your capacity to navigate life, handle situations, and make good decisions. It is the inner belief that you can rely on yourself, even when facing uncertainty.”
Engaging HR
This allows you to look back and view what happened. Not only what happened, but it also helps you to remember how you felt. Keeping a working journal or daily schedule that you can view later.
It is important to document items you considered problematic. Even more important is to take a moment each day to write down your wins. Those things that went well today, regardless of how small or large.
It may feel odd at first, but it will have an impact on you later.
Confidence Booster With Client Interactions
There are times when working with clients that you will have no confidence at all in what you are doing. Let me say this right up front. You may even suffer from Imposter Syndrome.
“first coined by psychologists Pauline Rode Clance and Suzanne Imes (1978) to describe the internal experience of doubting your abilities. Some have described it as the constant fear of being exposed as a fraud.” –Stanford University‘
Confidence boosters can happen when a client tells you how great your work is and that they value you (sometimes expressed differently). It is rare, but there are a few here and there, so take them when you can!
“62 percent experience it (Imposter Syndrome) at significant levels (Bravata et al., 2019)” – Psychology Today
If a client expresses gratefulness via an email or text (chat), ask them if you can use it for a testimonial. Make it a point to review these regularly as a confidence booster.
A client giving you unsolicited praise (and I think there are times you should ask for it, by the way) helps you to know it is true appreciation for you and that they value the work you are doing for them.
Confidence Booster During Difficult Situations
Whether the situation is with a client, finances, or another challenge, as an online service entrepreneur, it can be a shot right to the heart of your confidence. So, what are some ways you can boost your confidence during difficult situations?
- Step Away – Believe it or not, stepping away from the situation for a period of time (not to escape it or put it off) as a breather and way to clear your focus can really help. This is especially true when you need to make a decision.
- Exercise – Going for a walk or working out can release some of the stress and tension you feel when difficulties arise.
- Get Inspired By Others – Watching or reading about another online entrepreneur who overcame difficulties can help inspire you and boost your confidence. It helps you remember why you are doing it and that you can do it.
- Count on Colleagues – When facing difficulty, reach out to a mentor or colleague. They have most likely experienced the same thing and can encourage you. If nothing else, they will listen to you and show empathy.
“You do not need absolute certainty to move forward. Entrepreneurship requires courage, which means taking imperfect action despite discomfort and refining your ideas as you go.” –Yuri Elkaim|Healthpreneur (YouTube)
Confidence Booster As You Wrap Up Your Week
When it’s the end of the week (like it is as I write this), there are a few things you can do to help boost your confidence for the next week.
- List out 1 bad thing (in work) that happened. Then explain how you overcame it (or plan to overcome it).
- List out 3 good things (in work) that happened this week. By listing the good things, you are reinforcing the good rather than the bad in your mind. This also helps your mindset.
- List out 1 (or more) good personal things that happened this week. Your personal life affects your work and confidence. Although many try to segregate work and personal, it has become increasingly difficult to do this for the solopreneur. If something is happening in your personal life (good or bad), it will affect your confidence accordingly unless you take its power away. It is also true that if something good is happening in your life, it can affect your confidence and work in good ways.
Confidence Booster When You Are Tired
If you read this regularly, you know I suffer greatly from fatigue due to MS, Lupus, and other autoimmune diseases. I’m not talking about normal tired, but it’s more like being drugged and unable to wake up fully.
I have had to learn many different techniques to help me boost my confidence during these times. I hope some of my boosters can help you as well.
Ways to Boost Confidence When Tired
- Music is a big one for me. I listen to edifying music (I am a Christian, so it is usually Christian radio or songs I’ve downloaded). This helps me because it grounds me again and puts my focus where it should be. It also reminds me of God’s grace and that I can lean on Him.
- Quotes are also another way to boost your confidence. I, as you probably already figured out, have scripture verses that help me. I also list other quotes I learn, hear, or see around, including Post-It notes around the monitor.
- Revisiting testimonials and reviews. Hearing what someone else says about you and your work can help remind you that others value what you and who you are. It will especially help in times when you are down or feeling sluggish and not sure you can do it. Those words can be like a healing balm. We are always hardest on ourselves, so hearing from someone else how great you really are can lift your spirit and, at times, give added energy.
Final Thoughts
I love this quote by Nicole Burkick.
“Confidence comes from keeping the promises you make to yourself.”
nicole burkick|creative co.
At the end of the day, confidence is also about what and how you think of yourself and your work. Other ways to boost your confidence as an online service entrepreneur can include:
- Providing work you are proud of – period.
- Increase your skill set by investing in ongoing learning
- Invest in a good coach or consultant to keep you accountable and growing.
