It’s been just about 70 days since I started Project 555, a small group of writers who pledged to write 555 words per day for 90 days. At the same time, I put together a small accountability group with two other people. We promised to hold each other accountable for taking one small step in our businesses each day that would increase the likelihood of being successful in our businesses over time. Finally, today is the 9th day since I promised myself I would produce one piece of video content per day, for 30 days.

My writing has made leaps and bounds beyond where it was when I started this project. It’s bizarre; I almost can’t even recognize the words I wrote two short months ago. I’m starting to learn new tricks for editing video and also becoming aware of more and more unconscious things I do when speaking. Every day, I can see a simple improvement over the last day. I’ve always had to battle against my seemingly-innate urge to go for the home run in one fell swoop. I have historically lacked the patience to do anything consistently. In most areas, I’ve been known for short bursts of intense activity followed by months of no activity at all.

I’m a recovering workshop junkie. As such, I’ve danced with the devil of instant gratification. “Pay $2,000 for our workshop, and walk out of the third day thinking like a millionaire!” Sounds like a bargain, if only reality worked that way. When I attended workshops, I nearly always found that while they were fun and I got great ideas from them, I rarely implemented much of what I learned. Why? Because new ways of thinking take time to develop. Old habits die hard. Persistence seems to be the only reliable way to create any kind of lasting result.

This isn’t exactly brilliant advice, but that’s kind of the point. Un-brilliant works fine when coupled with consistent action. Brilliance combined with inconsistent behavior leads to being a starving artist. It makes for good stories later down the road, but it doesn’t pay the bills.

If you own a small business, you are surely familiar with the roller-coaster of emotion that comes from having the weight of the business on your shoulders. You’re the place where the buck stops, and you’re the one everyone else counts on when times are tough. That’s a huge responsibility – and when self-doubt creeps into the picture, things can spiral out of control pretty quickly.

Let’s face it: every single one of us is prone to fear and doubt. We’re all human. The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people lies in how they deal with fear when it arises. This 5-post series will focus on the practices that successful entrepreneurs develop to successfully overcome fear and doubt.

The first step is to recognize that the path to defeating fear does not lie with figuring out a perfectly safe answer. There is no guaranteed path. A common failing of solo business owners is to over-think their situations, hoping to work out a solution that guarantees single-stroke success. This approach virtually guarantees defeat. You cannot conquer fear with logic and reason, and you cannot win the battle in isolation.

The first habit to develop: reaching out. Business pioneers throughout history have one thing in common: they did not climb the ladder to success by themselves. Do you have someone you can call at any time when you are feeling doubtful and resigned about the success of your business? If not, finding that person (or people) needs to become a top priority. Take a look through the list of contacts in your cell phone. Who has a positive attitude and a resilient spirit?

Caveat: this isn’t about becoming dependent on another person, and it’s also not about calling someone to vent or whine. While it’s a good idea to have someone whom you can call when you’re in dire straits at a last resort, it’s better to be proactive about it.

Next week, we’ll begin to delve into what it looks like to build a mastermind group. This will help you build allies in the battle against fear and self-doubt.

Are you entrepreneur material? The following are several questions you can ask yourself in order to get an idea:

• Am I passionate about any one thing?
• Am I a dreamer?
• Am I always looking for other opportunities to better myself?
• Do I have a problem with authority figures?
• Do I want to be in control?

While these questions aren’t necessarily a means to an end, it seems as if most entrepreneur-type people lean towards these sorts of tendencies.

Start Thinking Like an Entrepreneur

With the last couple of years in the middle of a recession being rough on a lot of people, many have had time to re-think their career goals. What’s even more is that some of these people have decided to throw caution to the wind as they pursue their lifelong dreams and goals to be their own boss. Of these people, some have succeeded while others have floundered. But what is it about successful entrepreneurs that puts them a step above the rest of us in the scramble to work for ourselves?

In order to be an entrepreneur, you have to start thinking like one. The following examples are just five ways in which you can begin the process of thinking like an entrepreneur:

1. Don’t Fear Failure- Failure is often how we learn our toughest lessons. Don’t view it as a failure, but as a way in which something didn’t work. Learn something from the experience and try again.
2. Be Innovative- Too often, you will find that several people have had the same idea while one person really stands out. What is it about that one person who stands out? What ideas do you have that others don’t?
3. Be Gentle to Those Around You- If, one day, you make it big, there is no doubt that you wouldn’t have done it alone. Everyone has been successful in some aspect of their lives has had to accept help at some point from others around them. Be kind to these people when you are on top because should you falter, you may need their help.
4. Be Confident; Not Cocky- No one likes an ego-maniac. Similarly, however, no one will take you seriously if you lack confidence. This is a delicate balance that you must master while remaining somewhat realistic in your expectations of yourself, your business and others around you.
5. Be Persistent- If it was easy, everyone would do it.