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15 Entrepreneurs Share How to Stop Self-Sabotage in Business

Entrepreneurs reveal the best ways to "get out of your own way" and stop sabotaging your business success.

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Self-sabotaging thoughts, beliefs and habits can get the best of us.  According to Psychology Today, “Behavior is said to be self-sabotaging when it creates problems and interferes with long-standing goals.” The dilemma is: most people are unaware that they are sabotaging themselves.

Self-sabotage prevents you from attaining what you want most in life and business. According to IQ Matrix, a website dedicated to maximizing potential through mind mapping and life coaching principles, suggests “Self-sabotage is any behavior, thought, emotion or action that holds you back from getting what you want consciously.”

“Moreover, it is the conflict that exists between conscious desires and unconscious wants that manifests in self-sabotage patterns. It not only prevents you from reaching your goal, but also becomes a safety mechanism that protects you against disappointment. In other words, your brain is protecting you from getting hurt by doing what it thinks is best, which is keeping you within your comfort zone.”

So, we asked 15 entrepreneurs to reveal the best ways to “get out of your own way” and stop sabotaging your business success. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Stop procrastinating.

“The best way to get out of your own way in business is to stop procrastinating. If you have a great idea,act on it. You aren’t doing yourself or your business any good by sitting on the idea.  Make it happen.”

– Meagan Eagles, Owner of Weddings Tied With Lace: @WedTiedWithLace

2. Make a to-do list.

“Most entrepreneurs can’t get out of their own way because they are always reacting to requests. A quick solution is to plan your day the night before and create a tomorrow to-do list. Wake up the next day and stick to the plan.  If an urgent item comes up, write it down on the list and compare its urgency and importance to the next item on your list.  If it’s more urgent and important, do it.  If not, defer.”

– Greg DeSimone, Owner and President of FocalPoint Business Coaching: @gregdesimone

3. Don’t micromanage your team.

“Trust your team members to do their work well. You don’t need to manage every aspect of the work that they’re doing. You brought them on because they have the necessary skills; let them use them. You’ll also find that you’re a lot more productive when you aren’t micromanaging your team members’ tasks.”

– Amie Darboe, Founder and CEO of The Flairist: @AmieDarboe

4. Stop over-analyzing.

“Done is better than perfect. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs hum-hah about whether they are doing the right thing and end up doing nothing. Of course, doing it right the first time is preferred; However, it’s better to do something, learn from it, and do it better the next time than to do nothing at all.”

– Chris Miles, Founder and CEO of Money Ripples: @chriscmiles

5. Recognize your weaknesses.

“Sure, you can create a Web site, but do you really want a site that looks like a novice did it? About client generation work, I’m sure you know how to make phone calls, but do you consistently make those calls every day to generate the clients you need to grow your business?  If you find yourself putting off key business-generating activities because you know how to do them but you are not actually doing them, chances are you know these are your weak areas. Get someone else to do them. The sooner you do this, the better your chances for success.”

– Arron P. Grow, Dean of Workplace Sanity Group: @DrAPGrow

6. Get out of your comfort zone.

“If you never take the initiative to get out of your comfort zone, nothing spectacular will happen in your business or personal life. There will always be difficulties you must face and you will need patience to get through them. Ultimately, it requires endurance and perseverance to pursue your business goals and realize them at 180mph.”

– Nadine Lajoie, President of Nadynn International: @Nadlajoie

7. Find a support network.

“Especially when you’re first starting out as a small business owner, it’s easy to become a recluse initially and keep your head buried in business development.  By getting out, networking, and finding a support network of fellow small business owners, you can support each other and hold each other accountable.  This helps you not only foster relationships in the community, but it will keep you from not following-through on business plans.”

– Jill Schiefelbein, Owner of Impromptu Guru: @impromptuguru

8. Delegate and outsource.

“A successful business includes product/service development, sales, customer service, marketing, PR, bookkeeping, etc. It’s a lot and it’s overwhelming for one person. You need to hand this over to a manager, assistant, part-time employee or intern. Even if you only need a few hours per week from this person, it will help your business. The less time you have for the little things, the more productive you can be.”

-Belkis L. Cardona-Rivera, President and Chief Digital Marketing Specialist of Belkis Marketing: @BelkisMarketing

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