Stop waiting and start sharing your business

Are you waiting in the wings? Waiting to feel sufficiently confident to step onto the stage, put yourself and your ideas in the spotlight, and share your new business with the world?

I speak with quite a few 'would-be self-employed' people who are in this position. They say they are afraid to 'get out there', as if we all know what a dangerous and foreboding place 'out there' is.

They are holding back on publishing their website, posting on social media, making a video or attending networking events. Sometimes they are holding back on their whole transition to self-employment.

They don't feel they can handle the attention, criticism or fame they associate with being centre stage.

They believe they need to work on themselves and their confidence first. This has often already taken some time – it's slow work, and their potential customers are waiting.

They think confidence is something they must attain and build, and they believe they need this elusive confidence to move forward.

This is a misunderstanding.

Perhaps they have also seen others looking confident and think that they are somehow different.

Many people look and act confident. This often doesn't correlate with how they feel.

Our feelings are often influenced by the way we think about a situation. Imagine scary situations happening, and we feel fear. Imagine positive outcomes, and we feel more buoyant.

If you have a great idea that will help people, and you are attracted to self-employment, here are some ideas for moving through those fearful feelings and revealing your confidence.

Seven tips to help build confidence

1. Refocus

This is not about you – this is about helping your target market.

Focus on them, their priorities and their needs. This is about being of service to them and making a difference in their lives.

2. Expect fear

If someone didn't have at least a little fearful thinking about stepping onto a public stage for the first time, we would probably think something was wrong.

Being nervous in this situation is normal, and it doesn't stop you from taking action.

There is no need to analyse or fix this fear.

3. Take the next action

Rather than building up 'getting out there' into one big scary event, see what the very next action is and take it.

Once you have taken one action, and lived to tell the tale, the next one becomes so much easier.

4. Know you'll probably get it wrong

Even after extensive research and preparation, you're unlikely to be great the first time.

Of course, you want to do your best, but set the bar low and make improvements over time.

5. Be human

(Not that you can do anything else!)

From Strictly to The Great British Bake Off, we love mistakes and turnarounds. Authenticity and relating to our audience count for more than a slick performance.

6. Don't try to please everyone

Your message reflects your passions and your uniqueness and is aimed at your target market.

It shows that you understand what is important to them and that you speak their language.

As much as positive feedback from your target market shows you have this right, negative comments from people outside your target market can also indicate that you are on the right track.

7. Be 'all in'

Playing small and avoiding publicity is not a good business strategy.

Being committed to creating the self-employment you truly desire means stepping outside your comfort zone and taking action.

Confidence comes through action

Try these seven suggestions, and you may discover that confidence has been within you all along.

We recognise it when we realise that we cannot accurately predict the future, but we can respond to whatever happens.

There may be ups and downs, and things will not always go according to plan, but you might find you enjoy being 'out there'.

Every worthwhile adventure has its challenges.

Every hero has faced fear and taken action anyway.

You really have got this!