Life as a freelance trainer can be taxing, but don't let yourself get ground down, says Sharon Gaskin.
When I first started out as a freelance trainer I was really excited, enthusiastic and positive. I was absolutely buzzing with ideas and plans about how to make my business a success and I just couldn’t wait to start putting it all into practice. I felt a little bit anxious - for sure – about what I’d done and the enormity of the tasks ahead but I didn’t dwell on it for too long - I didn’t have the time!
But as time went on and my first few weeks as a freelancer turned into months I suddenly start to feel a lot less confident than I had to begin with. Doubts started to creep in – had I done the right thing leaving the security of a job? Was it going to work? Would I make a decent living from it?
One thing I’ve noticed from running my workshop and coaching programmes is that this same thing happens to a lot of other people too. And now I call it the 'Wobble' factor.
Why does the wobble factor happen? Well, there are lots of possible reasons. It could be a random comment made by someone else that you took the wrong way, a meeting that you felt didn’t go according to plan, a networking event that you felt was a waste of time, or even your bank statement! And when the wobble factor hits you self doubt starts to creep in, you feel a bit less sure of your business being successful, and sometimes you just feel overwhelmed by all the things you have to do to make it work.
Unless you want to be driven back to corporate life before you have barely started you need to overcome these feelings. When you are running your own business self motivation and confidence is absolutely crucial to your success. If you don’t believe in yourself and your business how can you expect anyone else to?
Here are some tips:
1. Recognise that it’s normal to have a wobble
Just about everyone has set backs in their life and business. Just look at all the successful entrepreneurs who have been bankrupt and bounced back to make even more money! And at all the top sports stars (including my own hero Rafa Nadal) who have been at the top of their game, have been thrown off track by an injury and have had to come back.
2. Surround yourself with positive people and use them to get support
Pick up the phone or meet them for a coffee. Just talking to other people always helps you feel remotivated and puts things into perspective.
3. Focus on what you have achieved rather than what you haven’t
One of the things that works for me is to keep a 'success diary' – just write down in your diary every day the things that you’ve got done, no matter how small. Every small action that you take will move you nearer towards your goal.
4. Set yourself small achievable goals
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the big picture. Take things one step at a time and don’t have too many things on your 'to do' list
5. Ask yourself: What skills do I need to improve upon that will make me feel better about myself and my business?
It could be sales and marketing skills, more confident networking or getting results through social networking. Whatever it is, don’t just sit there, do something about it! Investing in and learning new skills will do wonders for your confidence as you will feel more equipped to move your business forward.
Sharon Gaskin is the Founder of The Trainers Training Company and works with freelance trainers to help them create successful businesses. For more details go to www.thetrainerstrainingcompany.co.uk.
