How to cope with anxiety as an entrepreneur? Well, it’s not exactly easy because we’ve all got some degree of some type of anxiety. Then there’s the news that anxiety is kind of unavoidable as entrepreneurs (sorry!). But coping with anxiety while you run your business is definitely possible. Today’s guest is Vikki Louise, an anxiety coach who helps other business owners by giving them the tools and the foundation they need to manage their anxieties.
Anxiety & serial overachieving
Vikki opens up the show with a most illuminating discussion on being a serial over-achiever. Thankfully, she not only shares what that looked like for her but she also tells us how to spot the difference between achieving for validation and achieving for healthier reasons.
As Vikki says, it is a fine balance between a ‘need’ to achieve and simply working to learn, grow, develop or serve. Sometimes it’s hard to spot that line and Vikki helps us out with that.
anxiety can be uncomfortable
That might just be the understatement of the year! If you’re a fellow entrepreneur who deals with anxiety, how often do you simply sit with that discomfort? Or maybe you’re just so ‘busy’ that you never really sit with your anxious thoughts and feel that discomfort.
Most of us opt for the busy route so we don’t have to deal with the anxiety stuff. Vikki elaborates on why you should just sit and chill now and then. (Consider this your official permission to take a break from your business if it helps!)
entrepreneurship = self-exposing path
Have you ever really thought about how choosing to own a business really opens you up to failure and rejection?
This is especially true for solopreneurs! You’re the only one in your business who is creating something–whether that’s content or products or services. As an entrepreneur, you’re also breaking away from the mold by striking out on your own. All of this is literally setting you up to be rejected and fail–because you have to try new things constantly. And not everything is going to be successful.
The good news is that all of these things are also how you can grow as a person and as an entrepreneur.
Tips & advice on coping with anxiety as an entrepreneur
Vikki has some great advice for entrepreneurs who are dealing with anxiety. I encourage you to listen to the episode to hear the details, but here is a list of things Vikki mentions:
- Feel the anxiety–and do the scary stuff anyway
- Uncover, acknowledge and challenge your thoughts about anxiety
- Take the time to sit with your anxious thoughts
- Recognize anxiety is inevitable with owning a business
- Stop thinking it’s ‘wrong’
- Most situations aren’t truly life or death
- Be intentional about socializing
- Start small
- Celebrate your wins
- Working through anxiety is a lifelong learning process
entrepreneurs dealing with anxiety
Listen, you’re going to deal with anxiety as long as you own a business. As Vikki mentions, we all have varying degrees of anxiety but the thing is–we need to be aware of it so we can better cope with it.
Pick that one small step that will lead you toward your big goal, recognize the anxiety you have about it. Then go do the damn thing anyway!
Links mentioned in the show:
Vikki’s website
F*ck Anxiety & Get Sh*t Done podcast
