Mindset challenges for International Women's Day
Ladies. Imagine a world where you trusted yourself to do something to the best of your ability. To look at something impossible and say, "I'll give it a go, what's the worst that could happen?" rather than "oh no, I can't do that, what if I fail?"
To do something because you want to, not because you should.
To cast aside those thoughts of what others will think and just be focused on what you think because that's really all that matters.
To take action on things that are important to you rather than procrastinating - according to your own measure of success, living your life aligned with your values, and smashing your goals.
Sounds good, doesn't it?
You might be asking, what does this all have to do with what I'm choosing to challenge for International Women's Day? Well, I'm choosing to challenge our own mindset. It sounds simple and easy, but it's not. It takes time, and practice, and sometimes sheer grit and determination to make a change. But imagine if we, as women, could change our mindsets? To believe that we can actually achieve something before we've done it. To not listen to the voice in our heads that tells us that we can't do it. To believe that we could actually succeed and not be scared if we didn't or even if we did.
“Only 1 in 3 entrepreneurs are female: a gender gap equivalent to 1.1 million missing businesses.”
As I was researching the article, I came across some interesting stats that made me stop in my tracks. Whilst I've tried to surround myself and be inspired by female entrepreneurs and businesswomen; apparently, only 1 in 3 entrepreneurs are female: a gender gap equivalent to 1.1 million missing businesses.*
Other reports have also shown that up to £250 billion of new value could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as UK men. Even if the UK were to achieve the same average share of women entrepreneurs as best-in-class peer countries, this would add £200 billion of new value to the UK economy. (Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship, HM Treasury 2019)
So ladies, why aren't we doing it? Why aren't we adding £250 billion to the UK economy? Why aren't we creating those new businesses? I often ponder as to why. One of the most common themes I see with this relates to mindset.
As a coach, I work with women who make strives to improve their mindset every day. It's an ongoing process because we're trying to overcome generations of gender stereotypes that we have been tied to. To work out if we want to do what is 'expected' of us, or what makes us truly happy, aligned with our values, and living our best life.
With that in mind, here are three tips of ways to challenge your mindset:
Listen to your language. How do you speak to yourself? Do you say you 'should' do things? Question - why should you?
Challenge your thoughts. I'm not going to ask that question; I'll look stupid. I won't put myself forward for that exciting project because I'll be rubbish. Write down the opposite of these thoughts. And then do them.
Be aware of where your beliefs are coming from. They're likely inherited from your family. But as you've got older - it's okay that they change! If your dream is to open a cake shop in Islington, yet you're working in an office job because it's a 'proper job' - whose belief is that? And what is not challenging those beliefs doing to your dreams?
By writing this article and making it live on my website, I've challenged my mindset as it has been SHOUTING that I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm not the best placed to talk about this. Who is going to listen to me? Well, I chose to ignore most of the 6,000 thoughts we have a day and make it live anyway.
Happy International Women's Day.
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