Self-doubt is quite normal for many entrepreneurs because it usually involves you doing something you haven’t done yet.

Self-doubt is often rooted in the fact that first, we don’t want to make any mistakes and second, we don’t want to be criticized.

Highly successful entrepreneurs know that mistakes and criticism are a natural part of building a successful business.

It comes with the ride.

Here are five steps to help you eliminate self-doubt and build your Dream Business:

1. Do not compare yourself to others, play your own game. It sounds cliché, but be the best you that you can be.
2. Cancel negative thoughts the Nano-second they creep in to your mind. Literally say “cancel, cancel, cancel” and shift immediately to thinking about something positive. Train your brain that negativity is not welcome here.
3. Surround yourself with successful people who motivate and inspire you. This most often is different than ‘supportive’ people such as your family as they might think they are being supportive as they try to protect you from harm, by encouraging you not to take risks. Nobody ever built anything worthwhile without risk.
4. Do not seek validation for your dream or big idea from people who have not taken a risk and achieved success. Learn from the experience of those that have gone before you and reject the rest.
5. Recognize that the negative voice in your head is not the voice of truth.

Finally, here’s something I learned when I took the infamous Dale Carnegie course in the late 80s.

This comes from his book, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

If you are worrying about something, try to visualize with great detail the worst thing that can happen, if your worst fear comes true.

For me, I had a severe fear about public speaking.

When I visualized the worst thing that could happen if I completely froze and sucked and was laughed out of the building, I realized that I would still go home and be loved by my wife and family and of course the Lord.

SO, the ‘worst thing’ that was swirling in my head for too many years, was not actually going to kill me!

Hmm, I saw that as a positive step! :)

I started my speaking career with small gigs that eventually grew to include running my own live 3-day seminars, Dream Business Academy!

And then I built an amazing successful mastermind – you can do this too.