When I first started working for myself, I thought the hardest part would be finding clients or managing my time. I had no idea that the biggest challenge I’d face would be myself. But let me tell you – as a solo founder, you will be your own biggest roadblock.
Not a difficult client. Not a slow market. You. And the sooner you understand that, the sooner you can do something about it.
Why your mindset matters more than you think
When you work for yourself, there’s no manager to push you forward, no team to keep you accountable, and no one to tell you you’re doing well. Everything — the motivation, the discipline, the self-belief — has to come from you.
That means you need to:
- Push yourself when it’s hard
- Own the mistakes you’ve made
- Be kind to yourself when you feel like a failure
But the problem is: our brain doesn’t always make it easy. It’s really easy to fall into a cycle of negativity, self-doubt, and overthinking. And that cycle will slow you down more than any external challenge ever could.
It’s not as simple as “just think positive.” But that’s also where it starts.
How to work with your brain, not against it
You can’t control everything in your business and sometimes not even our own brains. Whether you have a good day or a bad day, your brain will often default to the negative. The economy could be booming, with clients rolling in and you will still focus on the client that you lost last month.
This isn’t because you’re emo, it’s just because your brain is wired to protect you from threats. Negativity is its default safety mechanism.
But changing how you think isn’t a one-time decision. It’s something you have to consistently work at – actively reminding yourself of the positive to overpower the negative.
The good news is that most of these negative defaults are universal. Every founder faces them. Which means there are tried and tested ways to counter them.
Here are three reframes that help when everything feels like it’s going wrong:
- If you’ve done it once, you can do it again.
Even one client or one project is evidence that you can do the thing. Don’t let your brain erase that. Write down your wins, look back at them and use them as proof that you’re capable.
- You are unique and you bring value.
Even if you can’t clearly explain why yet. Every founder has a unique combination of experience, background, and beliefs that makes them genuinely different. The fact that you can’t see it yet doesn’t mean it isn’t there – it just means you need to work on your positioning.
- Struggle is part of growth.
If everything feels easy, you’re probably just staying comfortable. The discomfort you feel when things aren’t working isn’t a sign you’re failing, it’s a sign you’re growing. Every challenge is teaching you something.
You can’t control everything. So focus on what you can.
Running a business will always come with uncertainty. There will always be slow periods, difficult clients, and moments where you wonder if you’re on the right path.
You can’t control this uncertainty, but you can control how you perceive the challenges. The founders who build something lasting aren’t the ones who never doubt themselves – they’re the ones who do the work anyway.
There will always be doubts. You just get better at not letting them get in the way.
If you’re struggling with your business right now, you’re not alone. Every solo founder goes through this. Sometimes you just need someone to talk it through with to make you feel more normal. Feel free to reach out or connect with me on LinkedIn – I’m always happy to chat 🌿
