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7 Strategies for Overcoming Self-Sabotage as an Online Marketer

The number one reason aspiring internet marketers fail isn't that they don't have the right product or don't reach the correct audience, though both are important.

I believe that self-sabotage is the number one reason novice marketers fail. The inner critic enjoys playing mind games with us and messing with our brains, and if we aren't watchful, we will begin to believe the seeds of doubt that tell us we aren't good enough or smart enough to start our own businesses.

Here are five strategies for staying on track and prevent your subconscious mind from sabotaging your efforts.


1: Quit comparing yourself to others.

On Facebook, there's a marketer who turns everything he touches into gold. He never makes a mistake, never loses a dollar, and makes money by the bucketload.

And it's all nonsense.

Everyone must go through a learning process. Everyone makes errors. Everyone is a human being. As a result, don't believe everything you see on social media. People want to create a misleading image of themselves in order to feel better about their own lives and to make you feel as if you don't measure up.

When you stop comparing yourself to others and instead focus on your personal growth as well as the growth of your business, it doesn't matter that Joe Marketer allegedly earns a quintillion dollars per second while you only make a thousand dollars per week.


2: Concentrate on what matter the most.

The majority of the distractions you're encountering are insignificant bits of flotsam that will hinder your progress if you let them.

When you get up in the morning, see if you can lay aside everything that isn't essential to your business. Spend the first few hours of the day concentrating on your business and leave everything else for later.

Doing the most important things first is critical to your success. If you spend most of your day focused on things that don't matter, you'll be exhausted by the time you get around to working on your business.


3: Keep in mind why you're starting your own business.

Why do you want to start your own business? More time to spend with family? So you're free to leave your job? More cash? A better house, car, and way of life? More time on the road?

Whatever it is, keep reminding yourself why you are building your business and what your life will be like when it is successful.

Spend a few minutes each day imagining what your life will be like once your business is profitable. Assume it is already happening. See, feel, and experience it as if it were a present-day actuality rather than a future projection.

The more genuine it feels to you, the simpler it will be to focus.


4: Be kind to yourself.

That's correct; I stated that. Take care of yourself. This phase is exceedingly challenging for the majority of people. Perhaps they've been told their entire lives that they aren't worthy of love, but if they don't love themselves, they won't believe they are worthy of achieving their goals.

How do you feel about yourself? Look in the mirror and say, “I love you.”. Go ahead and give it a shot right now.

You're not alone if you're hesitant. Most people find it difficult to appreciate and love themselves, but the benefits can be enormous.

Every night before you go to bed, say this phrase to yourself: "I love myself." Give it a try. I swear it won't hurt, and you might be amazed at how well you sleep and how much better you feel when you wake up.


5: Exercise on a daily basis.

Unless you are injured, make it a point to exercise every day. Caffeine is not a substitute for physical activity.

Exercise allows you to be more creative, think more clearly, recall more, be more productive, and be happier and healthier.


6: Develop techniques to combat avoidance and procrastination.

Prioritize the key tasks and complete them first, before everything else.

If you're having problems getting started, break the task down into the smallest steps feasible and start with the first one.

If you're distracted by social media, turn off your phone and turn off your computer.

Find an accountability partner and hold each other to account.

Make a bet with a close friend that if you don't finish your to-do list this week, you will do something you despise.

Whatever is slowing you down, causing you to procrastinate, or otherwise impeding your progress, it is up to you to devise a strategy to end the avoidance and procrastination.


7: Accept self-doubt.

This may sound contradictory, but embracing self-doubt is paradoxically an excellent method to end self-sabotage.

I don't mean low self-esteem when I say "self-doubt." Thinking you're not worthy or a failure is a sign of poor self-esteem, and you need to find a solution to get rid of those beliefs.

But self-doubt is a another story. Every successful person has had to cope with self-doubt, and they've grown as a result.

When you're not sure if you're doing anything correctly, or if you've chosen the ideal product for your audience, or if you have any doubts about your business, you look for alternatives. You explore to determine if you're on the right track, and you make changes based on what you learn.

Self-doubt can motivate you to improve your skills, to go the additional mile, or to put in the extra hours in order to produce your finest work.

Self-doubt will alert you when it is time to seek assistance, counsel, or support. Other individuals can provide us with experience and different options that we may not have considered.

Self-doubt encourages you to evaluate different options and determine the best strategy to achieve your objectives.

And self-doubt can even take you away from your business long enough to rest, ponder, dream, read, and plan, so that when you return the next day, you are brimming with new energy, ideas, and answers.