business cognitive dissonance?

There is a reason why your business may not be growing. In fact, there may be many reasons. Being inconsistent and flat out not knowing what to do to build a business around your skill set are two of the most dominant problems.

Cognitive Dissonance

the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.

For years I have been a business coach and have tried to teach people how to really build a successful business in VoiceOver. These skills and strategies work for anyone that is a freelancer.

Through working with literally hundreds of people, Cognitive Dissonance is the ONE THING that comes through more than 95% if the time. Many times it is combined with a lack of skill and lack of knowledge of what it actually takes to build a business.

Once the real awakening happens with the enormity of the work and technology involved many become paralyzed. Meaning they simply have no idea how to move forward. Then come the fear and uncertainty.

The inconsistent thoughts and beliefs present themselves many times like this.

• I believe I need to be on social media — but I do nothing to learn more
• I learn more about how to use social media — but I never execute
• I watch videos and attend webinars — but I never bring the lessons to fruition
• I know I need to learn how to use Instagram — but I haven’t set up an IG account

If I boil this down I see it as a person lying to themselves about what they want. I see it this way because you get the information that is needed for you to grow but decide to continue to do what you have always done because it is comfortable. Doing something that is different is simply too uncomfortable because you actually believe that what you were doing before the information will work eventually (even though it has not).

In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort (psychological stress) experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. The occurrence of cognitive dissonance is a consequence of a person performing an action that contradicts personal beliefs, ideals, and values; and also occurs when confronted with new information that contradicts said beliefs, ideals, and values.

-Wikipedia

A business owner or freelancer can live in confusion and even depression if their desires do not map to their actions. A person can know what to do and not do it. What becomes disappointing is that when things do not work out they look outside of themselves as the reason for failure.