Think about it for a sec. How often do you have thoughts about what you can’t do in your business?

I can’t make a product.

I can’t be a consultant.

I can’t build a following.

I’m not good enough / smart enough / popular enough / funny enough.

These types of thoughts stop you in your tracks. You’ll miss opportunities. You’ll half ass projects that could’ve been great. You’ll miss your self-set deadlines and lose face with the few customers you gain. All because these doubts make you feel like it’s not even worth trying.

All of these doubts and excuses come from being afraid of where you are. You don’t have confidence in your abilities or what you might have to deal with. If you want to get rid of these doubts, you need to tackle that uncertainty. Here are three things you can do to help stifle those thoughts.

1. Decide If This Is Really For You

There’s nothing wrong with deciding that owning your own business just isn’t for you. Many, many people are just more comfortable with the structured environment of the 9-to-5 life. And there’s nothing wrong with the 9-to-5, if it’s your thing. But this is a decision you need to make right now – are you in or are you out?

If this isn’t for you, then stop punishing yourself and just drop all the pretense.It’s not worth hassling yourself for years and feeling like a failure when the truth is that you are smart and talented and capable – your heart just isn’t in it. Be honest enough with yourself to admit that you need something else to be happy.

If, on the other hand, you are committed to owning your own business, then knuckle down and shut up because all that worrying back and forth that you might not be good enough is distracting you and draining much needed energy.

Decide now if you’re in or out. If you’re in, then accept that you will make this work no matter what you have to do.

2. Know Your Place

Right now, I want you to rank your knowledge, experience and talent in your chosen field on a scale of 1 to 10 — 10 being perfect. Are you a solid 6? Only a 4? Be honest. Everything added up, where do you and your business fall on the scale as far as what you can give your customers?

Do you get  depressed by the number you see? Do you feel that if you aren’t a perfect 9 or 10, you have nothing to offer customers? That’s not because you aren’t good enough — it’s because you’re aiming at the wrong customers.

Let’s say you’re a 6. Sure, you can’t teach a customer at level 8 anything, but aren’t there people beneath you on that scale that could benefit from your knowledge? What about the people stuck at 4 or 5, with no idea how to climb the ladder to get to where you are? Aren’t you the perfect person to solve their problems?

All those “I’m not good enough” thoughts are running through your head because you keep comparing yourself to all the 10′s out there. You feel that only a perfect 10 can be helpful and no one will want what you, a mere 6, can offer.

Truthfully, most people don’t even need what a 10 can offer. The information a Guru at level 10 provides isn’t useful for someone at level 4. They need the next level up. They need someone who speaks their language and knows their needs. Be that person by knowing your place on the scale and solving the problems you know how to solve for the people you know how to help.  Don’t try to be a 9 or a 10. Be a solid 6 and focus on being damn good at it.

As you teach and experience more, you’ll learn more. You’ll grow into a 9  and eventually a 10 and you’ll be able to help more people accomplish more things. But for right now, find the level you can help, find out what they need from you and give it to them.

3. Learn What You Don’t Know

How many of your fears and excuses are about the gaps in your knowledge?

I don’t know anything about running a business.

I don’t know about handling the taxes for an LLC.

I don’t know about marketing.

I don’t know how to write an ebook.

So many excuses for why you’re not doing what you should be doing begin with the words “I don’t know.” It’s a classic excuse. If we don’t know it, we’re not expected to be responsible, or successful. We can fail miserably and it’s not our fault.

Problem is that too many businesses fail because of this excuse.

Our inner Manager knows that we’re missing important details, but we pass him off. He’s boring, he doesn’t dream about how great our business will be or tell us how wonderful our ideas are. All our inner Manager wants to talk about is numbers and regulations and strategy. Sa-noozefest.

We ignore him because he’s boring and we don’t understand what he’s saying and, honestly, that’s pretty damn scary. We don’t want to face what we don’t know because we’re afraid of what we might learn. Maybe we’ll learn that we’ve done everything wrong and have to start over or pay a big fine!

The truth is, all those excuses are bogus and I refer you back to step number one: if this is for you, knuckle down and shut up. Learn what you don’t know. Not only will it help you in your business, but it will go a hell of a long way in calming down your fears about running that business.

This Isn’t Theory, Start Now

Decide now that this is really what you want for yourself. Decide that no matter what gets in your way and no matter how many times you might fail, you will eventually succeed at owning your own money-making business.

Once you’re dead-set that you will achieve your goal, get clear on where you are right now and what you can do for your customers. Be honest with yourself and if there are gaps in your knowledge, fill them before you go any further.

These 3 steps are simple and straight forward and they will absolutely eliminate any and all doubt from your business. If you know someone who is suffering under the weight of their doubts and fears and could use these steps to reach new heights, there’s an email button up at the top of this post and social bookmarking buttons below. Click on one of those and help share these steps.

Photo via West Point Public Relations