Nothing kills your energy, mojo and determination like comparing to a likeminded business. So if you’re avoiding doing your souls’s work because someone else is already doing what you want to do, this post is for you.
The fear of looking like a “fool” or a “bad copy” of someone else is real. It can be disheartening seeing another person rocking the dream that has been brewing inside of you. Because you want to capture the same type of photos, do the same kind of creative work and share the same type of content with the world.
You may be asking yourself:
- What’s the point of doing what I want to do if she is already doing it?
- Why should I bother trying to follow my dream when someone else is already doing it BETTER?
- What if it looks like I’m copying and people notice that? Will they think I’m a fool?
Here’s the truth; no matter what you decide to do in your business you can be pretty sure someone else is already doing it and doing it better as well. That’s life. That’s the name of the game.
So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to give up and die with your dream inside of you? I hope not. Because your ideas wouldn’t be coming to you, or rising from within you, if they weren’t meant for you to breathe life into them.
You got to make a promise to yourself NOT to let it hold you back. Because, if you hold yourself back you will regret it, I promise you that!
NEVER EVER care about what other people do with their business. NEVER EVER give any interest in how awesome they are or how perfect they seem to do things. And NEVER EVER let what someone else do stop you from doing what YOU want to do!
NEVER compare, and never give up your dream because someone else is already doing it. If I had given in to that kind of thinking I would NEVER be here a writing this post. I wouldn’t be a published photographer and coach teaching courses to women all around the world. I wouldn’t be a successful business owner, stylist, writer, podcaster, and entrepreneur.
So how do you deal with the fear of looking like a “bad copy” of someone else? You ignore it and you continue like YOU are the ONLY one in the world doing what you are doing. You have to think like that to survive and thrive as a business owner.
I know this is a huge challenge and I know how scary it is to keep going for your dream when you see someone else doing it already. But it is unfair to you to compare yourself to someone who has been doing what you want to do for a while. Don’t use it as an excuse to hold yourself back.
Don’t give up. Don’t pity yourself because this is not about you. There’s space and room enough for all of us. You got to turn your focus away from the competition and away from feeling inadequate and then start focusing on YOUR AUDIENCE; the people you can help. Because no matter how many are doing what you are doing, you are the best to help your people.
No matter who you are. No matter your level of expertise, you will have potential clients, fans and an audience that will grow to love and trust you.
You don’t have to be the best in your industry to be successful and harvest a huge profit. But you gotta do what you do with heart and soul. You gotta put your clients and your audience on the top of your priority list.
Accept that other people are doing what you want to do. They’re not you. They don’t have the same unique combination of voice, experience, perspective and style as you. Only you can bring that unique blend to your business and your clients.
You start with one person, then two… you grow your business, your email list and your revenue one person at a time. So if you can help/serve just one person with what you offer, that’s all you need to focus on. Give that one person a great experience. You can do this, but you gotta stop comparing.
The true secret to success is not to try and reinvent the wheel, but rather to put your own particular spin on it. And more importantly, market your product or service in such a way that your customer thinks that it was made exactly for them.