Psychological Hurdles Entrepreneurs Face Before Reaching Success

Starting your own business is an exciting proposition. However, no matter how enthusiastic you are about your idea, it will be entirely natural to enter the process with some wariness. Entrepreneurship is a high-stakes proposition. Treating it as such is not only sensible but it can also provide focus and clarity to your work.

It’s all about striking the right balance between sensible concern and debilitating worry. In this article, we examine several psychological hurdles that entrepreneurs often experience on their path toward success.

Uncertainty

Uncertainty is a sensible, even productive feeling when considering entrepreneurship. Though there are many benefits to running your own business, there are also difficulties — income insecurity, a lack of employer-provided insurance, and long hard hours just to name a few.

It’s natural to wonder if this lifestyle will suit you. Even once you do start up your own business, a degree of uncertainty can be helpful if it leads to you thinking long and hard about your decisions.

Uncertainty becomes an issue when you feel unable to make a decision. Many entrepreneurs experience this at some point in their journey. Take a breath, and remember what brought you to the point of starting your own business in the first place. You have a good idea. Believe in it and trust that
you will be able to make the right choices when the chips are on the table.

Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome is a psychological experience that happens when a person essentially feels undeserving of their success. Celebrated writer
Neil Gaiman reported feeling this way at a conference being held for artists, writers, and other people who have made important contributions to society.

At this gala he found himself making small talk with a man about, among other things, how they shared a first name.

At one point, the other man sighed and said, “I’m afraid I don’t belong here. Everyone else created something. I just went where they sent me.”

Gaiman was momentarily taken aback by this perspective but recovered enough to reassure his companion. “Well, yes. But you were the first person to step foot on the moon. That has to count for something.”

Imposter syndrome can happen to anyone, regardless of how established in their success they are. Usually, the experience is categorized by the feeling that all of your peers either understand what they are doing better than you or are otherwise more deserving of their success.

Basically, it feels a lot like being a teenager.

Imposter syndrome is a good problem to have in that it typically signifies you are on a path toward success. However, when left unchecked, it can be a hurdle toward progress. When grappling with imposter syndrome, it’s a good idea to take a step back and remember what brought you to the point you are at in the first place.

You’re finding success because of your qualifications, and your ability to make good decisions when it counts. You deserve what you have, regardless of what your peers have done or are doing.

Work-life Balance

Achieving the right work/life balance will admittedly be very difficult in the early stages of an entrepreneurial endeavor. Many people starting their own business do so without the support of staff, for the simple reason that they can’t yet afford one.

In the early stages, you will be your business. This means that for a while at least, any notion of work/life balance will be impossible. The average entrepreneur works 52-60 hours a week — substantially more than most working Americans.

In other words, working a lot may be unavoidable for new business owners. You should, of course, commit completely to your business. However, you must also be mindful that burnout carries its own dangers. If you become excessively stressed out, the quality of your work will deteriorate and your business will suffer.

Work hard, but also prioritize personal wellness. Get good sleep, and look for opportunities to spend time with people you care about whenever possible.

Anxiety

There is a natural anxiety inherent to the process of pursuing entrepreneurship. To an extent, worrying can be healthy. You are setting off on your own. Any income and health insurance that you receive will be born out of your efforts and ingenuity.

This level of independence can be alarming and anxiety-inducing to those experiencing it for the first time. But typical though these feelings of anxiety maybe there are ways to experience them that are right, and ways to experience them that are wrong.

If your anxiety is driving you to work hard and pursue creative solutions to your growing business’s needs, it may be a productive experience.

However, when your anxiety reaches the point that it is impacting your overall health, it’s time to take a step back and reexamine things.

Remember: there is a reason you are pursuing your entrepreneurial dream. You have the ideas and skills to make your business a success. Have faith in yourself and believe that in the long run, your business will work out just as you planned it would.

When to Seek Help

Psychological distress can be a significant problem that leads to depression and debilitating stress. Too often, these concerns are written off as being regular components of working life.

For the entrepreneur, it may be particularly easy to dismiss your psychological concerns as being par for the course. After all, your fate is entirely tied to the quality of your decisions. Doesn’t it make sense for there to be some anxiety?

Sure. But when your psychological distress impacts your health and wellness, it not only causes suffering, but it can also be detrimental to your business. If you feel overwhelmed by the psychological hurdles of early entrepreneurship, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.

Mental health treatment has become de-stigmatized in recent years, and telehealth access makes it easier than ever to get the support you need.