When the Going Gets Tough

BY MEL HARRIS

25 JUN 2023

Trying to start or grow a side hustle isn’t for the faint hearted, it takes time, money, resilience, strength, and hard graft, let’s not forget skills, knowledge and experience may also play a part.

But what happens when you’re struggling with motivation, confidence, and productivity? What do you do? I must admit there have been numerous times when all 3 have waned or been non-existent, however, I’ve used these moments to Reflect, Re-think, Re-set, or Refocus. This could be in terms of the business itself or how I think about the business and my role within it. There’s nothing wrong with taking time to do any or all of the 4 R’s; in fact, I would go as far to say all 4 are essential to all businesses at some point in the journey.

Inevitably there are going to be times when a home-based business owner will think is this worth it. When this happens there are things you can do to overcome this.

Believe in Yourself – There’s that old saying; ‘if you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right’. Self-belief is a key component of any successful business. You had the belief in yourself when you first started on the journey, this needs to be central to all that you do. Self-development can play a major role in increasing self-belief, reading 10 pages a day written by someone who has walked this path before you can work wonders.

Ask for help – You don’t need to be alone on this journey, pull on your network of friends or family, join support groups via social media, look for local networking groups who can increase your contacts and also self-belief.

Outsource – Finding someone to do your social media, marketing, admin, website etc. enables you to focus on your business rather than in your business freeing up precious time to drive progress. Outsourcing may be difficult financially for home-business start-ups so look for other start-ups in the area where you need the help, you could skill swap or give each other testimonials which are valuable in any business.

Look how far you’ve come – What you’ve got to remember is there are many people who would like to do what you’re striving to do and achieve. If you know more or achieved more than you did 6 months ago, 1 month ago or even yesterday, you’ve made progress so keep going!

Don’t beat yourself up – You’re only human, no-one can do everything at once. Small actions taken each day will lead to progress.

Enjoy the process – I’m doing this on a daily basis, I look at my Cottage Club Companion and get excited about what I am working on each day. Nothing is insurmountable and sometimes the journey is more fulfilling than the end result.

Starting a business is a process and takes dedicated time so embrace the journey. There are so many things which need to be done yesterday, but remember, if someone else has done it before you, so can you!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all the action, you have to take book a FREE 30 MINUTE CONNECTIVITY CALL with me today to see if I can help!