Power Through Tough Times: 24 Affirmations for Entrepreneurs

The difference between a successful entrepreneur and an unsuccessful entrepreneur is the ability to power through tough times. Amazing highs and devastating lows are simply part of the equation, but simply knowing that isn’t enough when the lows come around. I founded Imaginovation with my brother-in-law in 2011. We experienced many highs and lows, but we’ve grown to be an award-winning web and mobile development company. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without remaining positive through the tough times.

Entrepreneurs need to find tools to help them get through before those tough times come along. If you’ve got a toolkit to encourage you along the way, your chances of getting to that success on the other side are much higher.

Affirmations are a fantastic way for entrepreneurs to create that toolkit they need to make it happen.

Power Through Tough Times: 24 Affirmations for Entrepreneurs

Nothing can stop a man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goals; and nothing on earth can help a man with the wrong mental attitude.

- Thomas Jefferson

The psychology of personal affirmations

Personal affirmations are positive statements that are believed to be truthful and that are said with confidence. Our minds are powerful, and it’s possible to use positive psychology to improve our ability to push through difficult times.

Personal statements can go both ways though – they can have a negative impact too. Have you ever had someone say something cutting that demoralized you and caused a major setback? Whether it was a teacher who said you weren’t smart enough or a coach who told you that you couldn’t do it, most of us have been pulled down at some point in our lives by an authority figure. It’s usually a powerful experience. That same power can go the other way, propelling us forward instead of backwards. Using positive personal affirmations puts you in control.

Just saying a positive statement isn’t enough, which is why so many people struggle with this kind of activity. Here are four steps to effectively using positive personal affirmations for entrepreneurs.

1. Start with the negative. Make a list of the mindsets that are holding you back so that you can choose a positive affirmation to combat your most problematic thoughts.
2. Say your affirmation multiple times a day. The repetition might feel awkward at first, but it’s the hard work of this process that makes it valuable. Just saying it once isn’t going to do anything. Take three minutes in the morning, three minutes in the middle of the day, and three minutes in the evening to repeat your affirmation over and over again. You can write it down, speak it out loud, or just repeat it in your head. This is the most challenging step, and it’s the one that most people get wrong. Stick with it!
3. Use your body to anchor your affirmation. It’s no secret that your body and your mind are intimately linked. Breathe in as you repeat your affirmation. Sit for a moment and think about where your negativity is in your body, then place your hand on that spot while you do your affirmation exercise every day.
4. Have someone repeat your personal affirmation to you. Humans are social creatures and we can take advantage of that social nature when working with personal affirmations. Find someone like a partner, spouse, friend, or coworker to say your affirmation to you. If there’s no one that you can reach out to, then at least say it to yourself in the mirror or record yourself saying it on your phone and play the video back to trick your brain into thinking that someone else is talking to you.

Again, just writing these down once isn’t going to do much of anything. If you read this list and then forget it, you won’t get a bit of benefit. As with anything in life or in entrepreneurship, it takes time and effort to make personal affirmations work. But when they do, they’re an incredible tool for entrepreneurs.

24 affirmations to get entrepreneurs through tough times

These 24 affirmations are just here to get you started. You may be inspired to come up with a few of your own!

1. Everything is temporary. Success is temporary. Failure is temporary.
2. I am thankful to others who have helped me. I am thankful to myself.
3. My challenges are real, but I can stay positive through them.
4. I forgive myself for past failures.
5. My success is inevitable if I keep working hard to reach my goals.
6. My ability to achieve within this business is limitless.
7. My passion and my purpose drive me through challenges and towards success.
8. I’m doing what I love and my income is growing every day.
9. Today I’m creating opportunities to grow myself and my business.
10. What I’m doing is making a difference in the world.
11. I am a natural entrepreneur. This is my calling in life.
12. The challenges I face give me energy and purpose.
13. Helping others get what they want is the first step in getting what I want.
14. I love working. It energizes me and brings me focus.
15. The value-generating aspects of my business are where I put my effort.
16. My dreams for my business align with my core values in life.
17. The success that I want is the natural end of the work that I’m doing.
18. The freedom that I gain from running my own business is my biggest reward.
19. My family’s needs are met and more through the work that I’m doing.
20. This business is growing at the right speed for it to become successful.
21. I’m creating value in the world through my business.
22. My energy attracts the customers and clients that I need to be successful.
23. My business makes me stronger and happier.
24. This is my calling in life.

Don’t make the mistake of leaving these affirmations as-is. Make them personal! If you’re struggling with a specific major client, insert their name into your affirmation. If you’ve had a financial setback, include that in your statement. The more you mold these affirmations into personal things, the better you’re going to be able benefit from them.

Consistent use of positive self-talk is a proven way for people to overcome hurdles. Stick with your personal affirmation, and you’ll find that you can power through just about any entrepreneurial obstacle.