Nobody can live in a complete bubble, but external influences will push you off the track when striving for your goals, if you are not prepared and aware. We all want to follow our own path and build a living doing what we love but everyday life’s circumstances keep getting in the way. It’s hard to create the life you want when there are so many external factors blocking your success.

Here are 5 ways you can create a supportive environment to achieve your goals. It’s about setting up your own bubble and protecting your dreams and ideas. Put your talents and capabilities into work to make the world a little bit better place. Don’t let them get jeopardised by outside influences.

Block your critics

There are many things you can do to protect your emotional space. We all welcome constructive criticism to improve our ideas but more often we are faced with cynicism and judgement. People close to use may try to be helpful to protect us from doing something which they think is too risky. Usually people mean well as they try to shield us from disappointment. But for DrivenWoman, disappointment is an opportunity to learn and there’s a gift in every struggle.

Try to separate constructive feedback from judgement. Your critics don’t count simply because they are shouting from the sidelines and have most likely never done anything brave themselves. It’s easy to dish out judgement, but much more difficult to make things happen. Identify the people who make you doubt your ideas and try to stay clear.

Identify doubt triggers

Secondly, look at practical things that trigger doubt. These can be something you read in the news or you see other people doing. Try not to compare yourself to others as this will easily trigger doubt. There’s always going to be someone prettier, smarter, or wealthier, but there is only one you!

Try to be realistic with your expectations as often unrealistic time frames and not meeting deadlines trigger doubt and you may consider abandoning your project or idea. Do things that allow you to stay focused and not doubt yourself. If you feel overwhelmed go for a walk and take a break.

Remind yourself of your ‘why’

I have hang my vision board on the wall above my desk so I can remind myself every morning about ‘why’ I’m doing the work I’m doing. It gives me an instant reminder of what I should be focusing on and not to give up. When you are committed to a purpose larger than yourself it’s almost impossible to give up.

You can frame your favourite quote or use a key ring that reminds about your ‘why’. If doubt is trying to sneak in, simply go back to the source of your inspiration and remind yourself why what you are doing is important and why you can’t give up now.

(In this Youtube interview with Kathy Caprino I speak about my why and  how it helped me to stay focused and not give up on DrivenWoman in the early days.)

Be proactive

One effective way fighting self doubt and negative outside influences is to boldly manifest what you are doing. I posted 100 selfies in the first 2 years of starting DrivenWoman. I took a photo before every group meeting and posted it on social media. I was fighting self doubt and had decided to do this so that I’d be less likely to give up. You can’t keep announcing what you are doing and then change it very two months!

Are you trying to work on your project in secret or are you manifesting your ideas? Be proud and show your vision to the world proactively and people are less likely to push you off your track.

Surround yourself with like-minded people

It’s hard to work on your goals, remain optimistic and maintain your beliefs if nobody around you is sharing your innovative views and supporting your brilliance. Surround yourself with people who are on a similar journey and you will enter a supportive bubble with a can-do mindset.

This doesn’t mean finding people who have the same background as you or agree on everything you say, but people who also want to challenge themselves and grow. People who are interested in what they are capable off and who are willing to step outside of their comfort zone.

When you share your struggles and challenges in an open and honest environment with people who also want to succeed you build your inner strength and are less likely to be effected by outside influences when you are back in your everyday life with all its negative influences.

How do you maintain your ‘success bubble’? Have you learned to protect your ideas from outside influences? Please share in the comments.

~ Miisa

 

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