What To Do When You Feel Like Quitting
I've been there, not just at the beginning of my business but also in the middle, and I want you to know that you're not alone. When you start feeling nervous or scared, and imposter syndrome starts creeping up, we all go through it; we've all been there. But there are ways to change your mindset to overcome, pivot, and redirect that negative feeling.
When I first started, I was very excited to dive in and wanted to do it all. I wanted to say yes to every client and quickly got overwhelmed. Impostor syndrome crept in really stinking fast. I felt like I was a fake and didn't know what I was doing. I thought everyone was judging me like they knew I'd never done this before, and they were going to fire me or ask for a refund, but I'd already used that money. I was overwhelmed with the day-to-day things that went into my business and thought I couldn't do this. I can't run my business, run other people's businesses, run my household, and care for my daughter. But the truth is, I can. And so can you.
When You Start Feeling Like You Want to Stop
When you want to give up, or you want to throw in the towel, there are a few things I want you to do. First, I want you to sit down in a quiet place and just think of where you've come from. Think of how far you have come, as a mom, as an entrepreneur; maybe you're not a mom, so think of how far you've come in your career. I want you to remember that very first decision you made to become a virtual assistant or freelancer; you had to start somewhere, and at that time, you were really excited. Then, you started building your portfolio and relationships and putting yourself out there. That is not easy, it can be really intimidating, and if that is you, I want you to look back and remember how far you've come. A lot of people don't even have the guts to say they want to be their own boss or start their own business, but you did. You took action, and now here we are.
The second thing I want you to do when you feel like throwing in the towel is to investigate other women doing what you want to do. So, for example, if you are a social media manager or a Pinterest manager, I want you to find other social media managers that are super successful. Find them and start digging back, look through their social media archives, and look at how their journey has transpired since the beginning of their business. In any business on Instagram or Facebook, you will see this progression and change in style, colors, and patterns that they went through with their business.
That's precisely what's going on in your business. You are just in a season; it will change, and you will find your pattern. But you need to know and be aware that the people that you're looking up to have been in the shoes that you are in right now. They felt defeated. They felt overwhelmed. They felt like throwing in the towel that they weren't good enough, they were faking it, and nobody would hire them. I guarantee you, your mentor, or whomever you admire in the business world has been there. If they say they have not been or never felt that way, they're lying, and you are wasting your money on that particular coach or mentor.
Everybody Goes Through Seasons
The third thing I want you to do when you're feeling like throwing in the towel is to remember why you started. Find that motivation that you had in the beginning. If you started because you hated your boss, you wanted to keep your kids home with you, or you wanted to travel more. If you want more money, you want more freedom. Remember that why, remember that reason, and get that burning fire back. Whether you have to journal about it, do gratitude about it, and really explore why you started this business. Sometimes you'll even find that you have a new reason, a new why.
At the beginning of my business, I wanted to keep my kids home. My why was to keep them out of daycare and be able to pay my car payment. That's it; that's all I wanted to do this for. But now, six years later, I am helping women explode their businesses to six figures. I'm helping other virtual assistants scale; I'm helping my clients build empires that they can pass down, give, and serve others. I'm still accomplishing my original why of keeping my kids home with me as long as I can. But my why has changed over the past six years. Why do I want this business? Well, because serving other women and helping moms and ladies build six-figure businesses brings me joy. It makes me happy. And that's my new why. You'll find your wants, needs, and desires change throughout your career; that's normal.
Maybe It's Time to Invest
I've invested in my business, and it's the best thing I've ever done. I'm telling you, hands down, it was terrifying. It was a lot of money, but it has been worth every single penny. If you can't invest, my next recommendation would be to find a peer. Find somebody on Facebook with you or someone you could do co-working sessions with. Say, "Hey, would you mind if I just ran some things by you?" Make sure you're not asking a business coach or a mentor because they will sell you. "Yep, here's my link; go ahead and purchase checkout, and then I'm more than happy to help you get there." Because guess what? They're running a business just like you. But if you find a peer that successful, they're not a coach, and they're willing to turn around and help someone behind them, jackpot!
If you feel like throwing in the towel, I am telling you not to do it. If I had done that six years ago, I would not be at home with my kids, I would not be making six figures while working 17 hours a week, I would not be helping other women achieve what I have achieved, and I would not be helping women scale. Just like the Bible says, this too shall pass. Right?
So hang in there and do not give up. Remember why you started this business in the first place and light that fire again; you're one step closer to becoming virtually free.
