Here are 5 characteristics I think service providers need to be successful. I’m also suggesting actionable baby steps to take to help you move closer to what you want your online business to be, along with prompts to help you discover your business goals.
Working for yourself requires confidence.
Not a boatload and not all the time, but some confidence. Acknowledging your strengths and skills, finding people who will benefit from your offerings, and not hesitating to require fair payment for your skills, takes knowing that you are good at something. It takes confidence to know someone needs you and that you should be paid for your skills.
As I look back on jobs I’ve had “in the real world” I realize I never really moved past entry level work and pay. I know a lot of that had to do with lack of confidence.
Actionable baby steps: Think of what skills you want to highlight and determine what audience can benefit from those skills. For example, I love writing, art and small farming. A good place for me to start is to think of what kinds of articles I could write to benefit small farmers. Since I’ve known for awhile, who I want to write for, I already have a couple of social media groups where I can start talking to people.
Another example is when I started my Etsy shop it was amazing to connect with other artists, see a variety of art and ideas. Having people who enjoyed my art and encouraged me to keep going, helped build my confidence about my creative abilities.
What are some things you can try to help build your confidence? Could it be finding a community to support you in your business ideas?
Working online requires motivation.
When you work for yourself, you have to be motivated to look for work, do the work and do it well, and when it’s finished, look for more work. The only person accountable for whether or not you work, is you. It’s easy to be distracted by other things in your life like sleeping in, watching Netflix, cleaning out a closet. But those aren’t things that will move you forward.
When you feel like no one values your work or wants what you have to offer, or even if you have anything to offer at all, what internal reserve will you draw from to get you motivated to keep going? I know I have wanted to work from home even before working from home was a “thing”. I’m talking just barely post-desktop computer. I never had the courage to try it, but I’m at the age where I know I have some skills and that I truly can help someone with what I know and what I can do. Another motivation is that my teenage daughter needs braces…so there’s that.
Actional baby step: Make a list of reasons you want to be successful with your online business and post it somewhere so you see it every day. Be reminded why it’s important to make this thing work.
What can you do this week to remind yourself why you are working for yourself? What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
Working online requires dedication.
Dedication is getting out of bed in the morning and doing work, even when you don’t want to. Even when you’d rather scroll through Facebook, or stay in bed because it’s cold outside. Blocking out all the things that all of a sudden seem so numerous and important now that you are trying to be committed to your own online business. Spending too much unproductive time online, will never help accomplish the desires I have for my online career. Committing a small amount of time each week, on a regular basis, is going to get me where I want to be faster than watching another video of a 20-something couple refurbishing an old RV and driving their way through Alaska with their German Shepard and 2 cats.
Actionable baby step: Spend 20 minutes 3 times a week, working on improving skills. For me, that will be writing. Dedication is committing time to do the thing I say I want to do.
What baby steps can you take this week to move you toward being more dedicated to your business?
Working online requires perseverance.
According to Dictionary dot com perseverance means “to maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles or discouragement”. There are some people (ahem…#thatwouldbeme) who allow the slightest obstacle to derail them into procrastination, overthinking, which leads to paralysis and not getting anything done. Perseverance is the key to getting yourself over the rough patch and reaching new goals, learning new skills and finding clients. It means you don’t let disappointment dictate your career.
For me, it means letting go of potential clients who have balked at my pricing or who have ghosted after showing interest in working with me on a project. No more spending time wondering if I should have done something different or assuming I did something wrong. Even if I did do something wrong, I need to learn from that mistake and move on. It’s important not to allow yourself to get stuck into not doing anything at all.
Actionable baby step: Think of clients or potential clients who may have been disappointed and think about what you can learn from them. Make a list of ways you can improve, then move on to finding new clients.
Are you having problems being paralyzed by fear or disappointment? Are you finding it hard to move past and find the next thing? What are ways you’ve dealt with disappointment? Did you handle it well or could you have done better?
Working online requires showing up.
Joining social media groups and forums are excellent ways to meet people who have similar interests, get information that can help your business and keep you connected to what is going on in the world.
I belong to several excellent social media groups. However, even though I read threads, I’ve been slacking in my participation lately. Sometimes I feel that I have nothing to add or maybe I don’t want to make the effort to be part of the conversation. Showing up means not just lurking but participating and engaging with the groups you belong to.
Actionable baby step: set a goal of minimum contacts you will make in a day with your social media groups. Start out slow if you’d like, then steadily increase that number. You will find you will begin recognizing people in your groups, learning new things and perhaps even become part of a “tribe”.
You may also consider joining an accountability group that meets regularly. Be committed to showing up in your group with lists of your goals and accomplishments. Let your group help you celebrate the things you are getting done in your business.
How many contacts will you commit to making today? What are some accountability groups you can look into?
Sometimes, working alone behind a computer can feel lonely and overwhelming. Those feelings often keep you frustrated and paralyzed from moving forward. Taking small action steps can help get you back on track and help move you closer to the goals you have set for yourself. Let’s work together to get ourselves back to accomplishing the things that will make our businesses successful!