The Importance of a Positive Mindset in Business
Building a positive mindset not only benefits your business but also impacts your life in general. However, maintaining positivity can be tricky, especially in the current economic climate, and you may recognise that negative chatter slipping into your daily thoughts.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapists call these Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANT). It’s believed that the average person has 95% repetitive thoughts, and 80% of them are negative. That’s a scary statistic if you are a solopreneur and your business survival depends on you.
At Women’s Business Networking, we regularly come together as a group to brainstorm ideas, offer advice, and support one another. One of the challenges we have discussed includes your ability to catastrophise – a negative thought that creates drama in your mind.
It’s easy to think the worst or expect to fail, but these thoughts stop you from thriving in your business.
How can you stop the negative chatter?
Our members use their networking sessions and workshops to find solutions to many challenges women face in business. One of their favourite tools is to list all their negative thoughts on the left side of a piece of A4 paper. Here are a few examples:
What stresses you out?
What annoys you?
Where do you lack confidence?
What fears do you have?
What keeps you awake at night?
What do you avoid?
Once they have their list of negatives, they write a positive alternative on the right side of the paper. For example, if you lack confidence in public speaking, write down an area of your business where you feel the most confident.
Inspirational Leadership and Mental Fitness Coach Ruth Dunn talked about challenges and solutions when she did a guest speaker session for the network.
“Challenge: The most common belief I see is self-limiting, e.g. when someone believes they’re not good at something and then looks for evidence supporting this belief or view.
Solution: Challenge your thinking! When have you been successful?”
Make a monthly note on your calendar and use it to remind yourself of your successes. Even better, reward yourself!
Think like a winner
Successful entrepreneurs harness the power of positive thought to set goals, plan action steps for growth and professional development, and improve their outlook on life and work.
We all crave that balance, but any negative thought patterns pull us down and keep healthy work and life zones out of reach.
It’s here that your mindset needs to be worked like any other muscle in your body. Start small by making a conscious effort to change one negative thought into a positive every day.
When you think positively, it attracts more positivity into your life. If you have read Rhonda Byrne’s book, The Secret, you will be aware of Bob Proctor, and his famous ‘thoughts become things’ quote.
Journaling is a fabulous tool to help you switch your mindset. At the end of your day, jot down something that went right, even if you have faced challenges and setbacks. Do this before you go to bed to help you recognise that even though it was a ‘bad day’, something good did happen.
Actively thinking positive thoughts gives you, as an entrepreneur, the ability to see your business holistically (as a whole), navigate any issues that arise with confidence, be focused on how to improve your business and be able to absorb more information.
The benefits of a positive mindset in business
A positive mindset will not only feel better than negative chatter but also reaps other benefits for your business.
- Better decision-making skills
- More resilient
- Better at problem-solving
- Driven to achieve your goals
- Lower stress levels
To thrive in business and build a long-lasting enterprise, regularly working on your mindset and increasing positivity in your life and work is essential.
How can the Women’s Business Network help?
Joining a like-minded networking group that supports your business journey and encourages your self-confidence, positive mindset, and business growth is a worthwhile investment.
When you feel confident about running your business, showing up and sharing, and asking for advice, it makes it easier to raise the visibility of your personal and business brand.
“There are times in business when we need reinforcements. A friendly army of like-minded people who can walk by our side. Who will listen to our thoughts, reflect on our dilemmas and successes and cheer us along? Sharon brings her extensive business knowledge and has attracted experts from a wide range of business arenas. We are in safe hands in this group. We can share our troubles and our joys. And that is invaluable in today’s complex business environment.” Alison Taylor, Global Business Development.
At Women’s Business Networking, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional value for our members through workshops and networking events. We introduce high calibre guest speakers to share their business knowledge on a wide range of topics from social media platforms, accounting and money mindset to sales and HR.
It’s impossible to know everything, and sometimes you don’t have the time, resources, or energy to do the necessary research. We provide inspirational guest speakers for our networking sessions, and our members have exclusive access to a panel of experts who specialise in business processes, sales and marketing, SEO and visibility, and human resources. They get the help and advice they need when they need it.
What else do the members get?
- Member profile – Our website is the hub of the network where we share resources, event information, an informative blog, and an overview of our lovely members. You will have the opportunity to take advantage of this SEO (search engine optimised) promotion by adding your name, business details, and biography to the membership portal for visitors to read.
- Online Meetings – Geography, time restrictions, and workload can hinder our attempts to network effectively; that’s why our virtual networking sessions are so popular. We have members and guests attend our meetings from all over the globe, making this network a great way to reach a much wider audience. As part of your membership, you receive two free monthly online meetings.
- Dedicated Facebook Group – Our dedicated Facebook group provides members a safe space to engage, ask questions, and meet other members. We understand that our online networking sessions are essential for meeting like-minded ladies and introducing your products or services to others. Our Facebook group is the perfect place to interact with fellow members. Ask questions, share advice, tips, and experiences, and learn more about your fellow business owners.
Find out more about the support, online meetings, and guest speakers we have coming up at the Women’s Business Networking group via our website.
Alternatively, get in touch to discover how membership to Women’s Business Networking can benefit you and your business.
