Entrepreneurship broke my old identity and beliefs
“Seems like you have no fears at all.”
A comment I received from my best friend while we were chatting about life.
She was referring to my presence on social media—sharing my stories and selling my products and services over the past few years.
It made me pause for a second. Hmm. I guess I never thought about how people perceive me through social media.
What she said is true. And also not entirely.
It may seem like I have no fear. In fact, I always do.
But the version of me you see on social media has a bit more boldness than fear. My courage to show up, create, and sell my creations overrides my doubts. Whenever I remind myself that people mostly care about themselves, the fear quickly evaporates.
I’m thankful and proud of my confidence to keep showing up and running my business.
My friend’s comment made me think about the root of my confidence, my old beliefs, my past jobs, and how becoming a business owner has pushed me to adopt a bigger identity.
This is me in the past:
- I never thought about owning or running a business because it’s “busy”. It’s filled with chaos and complication.
- I have been a rule follower since I was a kid. I only thought about having a job I love where I can just follow instructions, and then it would help me “do well” in life.
- I disliked selling or being sold to. I remember helping my mom at our noodle restaurant back when I was in Thailand. A salesman came in and was trying hard to sell cleaning liquid to me. I felt sick all the way while he was talking, and I was too polite to cut him off and tell him we didn’t want any.
- I was proud that I was a silent kid. It’s not that I got punished for being talkative or anything, but it’s just my identity. I enjoyed being silent and at peace. I didn’t like drawing attention.
Meanwhile, my family has always been so supportive of me pursuing whatever I wanted in life. Whether to work for someone or to do my own things. They are the backbone and foundation of my confidence.
Once I experienced multiple jobs and living life both in Thailand and abroad, I learned that none of it was truly fulfilling. I made ends meet, sure, but there was always something in me that wanted more.
At the end of workdays, I always read articles about being self-employed and working anywhere I want, having full autonomy. Not having to ask for permission.
Fast forward to today, I’ve been my own boss since 2022. I went from being a freelance web developer to a paper crafter.
Running my own business shifts my mindset so much that I feel like I have become a new person.
And here’s what I believe now:
- Running my own business is the life path I was looking for. It’s not only for money, but also the freedom to choose how I live my life and how I can make an impact with my creativity. I’m done following other people’s rules. The chaotic parts? There are plenty of step-by-step resources and inspiring people to learn from. And with the help of the internet, anything is more doable than ever.
- Having confidence eases you into running your business, but being able to make sales requires a whole lot more than confidence. It requires becoming known and trusted by the right people. The math is simple: if people don’t know about you and what you do, they can’t support you.
- To become known is to gain attention. In the age of the internet and distraction, attention is gold.
- Selling is not a dirty word. It is a way to offer value to those who pay attention to you and want your offers.
Adopting this mindset helps me override whatever fears I have about running my business.
I also want to give credit to those who are always the biggest support: My loving husband and my family, who never doubt or question my life decisions. Without them, I wouldn’t be showing up as I am today.
My question for you is this:
What mindset have you learned to adopt in order to thrive in your life?