10 Entrepreneurial Mindset Tips That Help You to Show up Authentically and Serve More People

There are people who you come across online with whom you immediately feel comfortable and trust. They somehow naturally embody that “Know, Like and Trust” factor that you hear about everywhere as soon when you begin researching how to build an online presence for your business. 
<h2>For me, one of these people is Shannon Mattern of <a href=”https://www.wp-bff.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>WordPress BFF</a>. </h2>
I originally came across Shannon when I was trying to create a website for my coaching business. I had hired a website designer for my psychotherapy business a few years earlier, but the problem was that I didn’t feel comfortable updating it or making changes to it, even though it’s built on a “user-friendly” platform. You see, I hadn’t received training on how to update the website myself, so when I did go in to make changes, infrequently, I felt as though I somehow just stumbled on hitting the right sequence of buttons.

I wanted to feel more capable and hands-on with my coaching website so that I could go in and make changes as needed without having to call someone else. 
<h2>Building a website is NOT my area of expertise, and it’s also not why I went into coaching. I needed some help. So, I contacted Shannon.</h2>
Perhaps one of the reasons why I felt so comfortable with Shannon before I even met her “in person” online is that I had been watching her step-by-step videos about WordPress websites. They were really helpful and practical, but I decided that rather than doing it alone, I would hire her to build it for me.

When I look back, the reason why I hired Shannon isn’t that I knew she could reliably build me a good website. Of course, that was important, but there are a lot of designers who offer this.
<h2>The real reason is that I so admire her willingness to show up authentically as herself, be completely transparent about her process (she even publishes a monthly income report with all of the details) and her struggles, and to commit to serving others powerfully by providing lots of free helpful content.</h2>
Truly, I hired her because I wanted to have conversations with her about what kind of mindset allows you to put yourself out there online like that, something I had myself found very challenging.

Here are some vital Mindset Takeaways that I gleaned from my conversations with Shannon Mattern: 
<ul>
<li>Having the right mindset is critical for business. Shannon defines mindset as the lens through which you view your life, the situations in your life, and the things that happen to you. She sees self-talk as a hugely critical component of mindset. Having the right mindset motivates you to take action.</li>
<li>It’s really hard to notice when you’re NOT in the right mindset. Says Shannon, “It takes me a while to realize what’s happening to me and that I’m stuck in my own head and limited by my own thinking. I may feel overwhelmed or stressed and throw myself into work that distracts me from seeing the bigger issue that I’m afraid of confronting.”</li>
<li>It’s challenging to change your mindset by yourself, but meeting with a business coach really helps. Shannon has a business coach with whom she’s been meeting regularly online for several years now. She says that her coach helps her to reframe the way that Shannon is thinking about a problem, slow down her thoughts, and identify the resistance that she’s feeling that’s keeping her from being present with the actual problem and how to work through it. “Oftentimes, what I think is the problem isn’t actually the problem,” says Shannon.</li>
<li>When you don’t have the confidence to do it yourself, it helps to have someone else who believes in you. Shannon says that she sometimes struggles with believing in herself, especially when she’s stretching to do things that are new and challenging for her. She says that being able to talk to her business coach and her husband and know that they believe in her makes all of the difference. She can lean on them for support and confidence while she builds her belief in herself by taking imperfect action. The bottom line is knowing that she’s not alone and that she doesn’t have to do it alone.</li>
<li>Finding a supportive tribe of entrepreneurs who can offer support is critical. Shannon says that she recently joined a mastermind group with five other female entrepreneurs from the Austin area and that the support and accountability that she’s receiving has been super helpful to her in both her business and personal life. </li>
</ul>
While Shannon says that she became an entrepreneur so that she could have a really high quality of life and the freedom and flexibility to stay healthy and fit, the reality is that she often uses her work as an excuse not to exercise or practice good self-care. She’s finding that her mastermind buddies help her stay on track with her business goals AND encourage her to get to yoga classes and take a break from listening to business podcasts so she can relax and unwind.

They’ve also encouraged her to think about how much she actually needs to produce. Shannon is an extremely hard-working business owner. She has a blog, a daily podcast, a free five-day challenge, multiple online courses, and lots of other offerings. Her group has encouraged her to rethink some of the rules she’s been putting on herself. Does she really need to create a new offering, or can she improve the one she already has? Does she absolutely have to publish a daily podcast, or can she give herself permission to go down to once a week?
<ul>
<li>Being transparent and authentic is actually a lot easier than trying to be something you’re not. When I asked Shannon what makes it possible for her to be so transparent about what’s working for her in her business and what’s not, Shannon said this: “It’s really hard for me not to be myself. I would be ashamed to hide from the people I’m supposed to be leading. They need to know that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. It’s a disservice to not paint a realistic picture of what it’s like. It’s so much easier to be myself than to try to be something I’m not. It also takes less time and effort.”</li>
<li>It’s easy to chase shiny objects when you feel a lack of confidence moving forward. Shannon mentions that when she feels less confident, she’s more likely to chase “shiny objects.” That’s when she notices herself buying courses that she thinks will solve her problem, but actually end up being a waste of resources. At times like this, she thinks it’s important to slow down and reflect on what’s happening. Says Shannon, “Being patient and consistent is what brings results.”</li>
<li>The biggest mindset shift that Shannon’s made as a business owner is going from problem-focused to solution-focused. Instead of thinking “I can’t” or “It isn’t possible,” she now asks herself, “How can I?” Shannon continues to work on setting boundaries with clients because she naturally tends to resist situations that could create conflict. </li>
</ul>
She admits that she has a tendency to want to take on too much. She’s been working with her coach on how to be true to her boundaries and also give clients options. Says Shannon: “I want to say yes to everybody, but if I do that it will burn me out. I can’t make other people’s problems my problems, but I can offer them alternatives that work for both of us and let them make a choice.
<ul>
<li>Online marketing becomes easier when your focus is to serve others by delivering them value. Shannon says, “I try to tell stories that I think will help other people. I share information that will help them to solve their problems. I’m putting myself in front of people, but I am always trying to deliver value to them. My focus isn’t on selling. It’s on getting out there and helping. That’s the whole point of the podcasts and blog posts. It’s about helping people to see the path. When you do it this way, it doesn’t feel like self-promotion.”</li>
<li>How Shannon deals with rejection and launches that have flopped. Shannon says that she deals with rejection by recognizing that it’s not personal. “People buy for a lot of reasons, and a lot of it has to do with timing. Just knowing that helps me get out of my own self.”</li>
</ul>
I found these gems from Shannon to be so valuable and I hope they are helpful to you as well. 
<h2> Wanting help with your Mindset?</h2>
If so, I’m offering free 45-minute mindset audit sessions to help you gain a fresh perspective for the New Year. If this speaks to you, click <a href=”https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14982581″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>here</a> to schedule yours now!

10 Entrepreneurial Mindset Tips That Help You to Show up Authentically and Serve More People

Hi there, I’m Sylvia!