5 Self-Sabotaging Behaviours In Business
EMMA BOWDLER
I’m a cheerleader for women and an accountant bursting with personality.
Are you self-sabotaging your business?
It’s time for us to get personal. I’m going to ask you a question and I want you to be honest with yourself; are you guilty of self-sabotaging behaviours?
Self-sabotage refers to behaviours or thoughts that hold you back and prevent you from succeeding. It can manifest in personal relationships, fitness journeys, and most destructive of all, in your own business.
Statistics have shown that stress is one of the critical players in self-sabotaging behaviour and if you’re running a business, chances are you’ve got your fair share of that. Entrepreneurs are notorious for self-sabotage as ego, doubt and fear run amok.
I know of a tech start-up that failed in its first few years of business because the CEO had his own idea of what he wanted from the app. When he started receiving feedback from staff and clients that went against his vision he refused to pivot. He was THAT set on his own path. Sure enough, the business went under.
The good news is if you’re aware of self-sabotaging behaviours you can prevent them. Below are some of the five most common.
Diving in without a plan
To avoid the same mistake the CEO I mentioned above made, you need to adequately plan your business. Work towards answering the following questions:
• What are you selling?
• Is there a place in the market for it?
• Who are you selling to?
Once you have resolved the above, hopefully by conducting thorough market research, you need to work actively.
As a business owner it’s easy to churn out a 12-hour day that doesn’t achieve much in the grand scheme of things. So focus your day before you start. Strategise how you will spend the shift. This could take 10 minutes to an hour every morning; just know what you’re working towards.
Not recognising fear
When failure is on the line it’s a human trait to stick to a comfort zone. You need to be aware of this because the fear of failure could see you unconsciously avoiding things that could drive your business forward.
Whether it’s seeking out new business opportunities, products or sales calls, sometimes the risk is worth the reward.
“You will experience ups and downs, and you may get frustrated things aren’t moving as fast as you want. When this happens remember to not be hard on yourself. Slow, steady and kind wins the race ”
EMMA BOWDLER
Failing to see success
The road to a successful business is a long one, and it’s easy to overlook small wins as they pop up if you’re fixating on the finish line.
Take the time to celebrate small successes; it will give you a reprieve from the race and also help build company culture.
Not delegating
When you are stressed handing control over and delegating tasks is hard, I get it. You are suddenly placing your trust in staff when you know you can get it done yourself.
You need to push past this.
You need to delegate to maximise your time. This will also reduce that aforementioned stress in the long run.
Having negative self-thoughts
I’m putting this as plainly as I can; be kind to yourself.
Starting a small business is something many dream of; the fact you’re already on the path puts you miles ahead of the rest.
You will experience ups and downs, and you may get frustrated things aren’t moving as fast as you want. When this happens remember to not be hard on yourself. Slow, steady and kind wins the race (and keeps you sane).
EMMA BOWDLER
I’m a cheerleader for women and an accountant bursting with personality.
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