| This is a guest blog by SSE fellow, Yaa Antwi-Nsiah, a graduate of our Lloyds Social Entrepreneurs Start Up programme. Find out more about Yaa's mentoring and coaching work at the bottom of this article. |
1. Comparison 101 – “[insert organisation name] is so much better than mine.”
This is the classic and most recognisable case of comparison. You see the ‘success’ of other social enterprises and compare yours to them. This saddens and frustrates you. It makes you feel like you’re not good enough because your organisation is not where you want it to be yet. You are comparing your social enterprise to how successful you think others are. Yes, they may be further along than you, but you don’t know what they have been through. So just focus on yourself.2. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) – “Look at what [insert organisation name] is doing. I should start doing that too.”
This type of comparison usually happens when you are unsure of yourself or what you’re doing. You don't have a real plan in place and if you do, you’re not following it. You jump on the bandwagon of what you think you should be doing and hope it works out. Unfortunately, it usually doesn’t. You start out very motivated, but as soon as things aren’t going well, you move onto something else. Having a plan helps you prepare for any challenges that come your way. But remember you may have to adapt it along the way. It’s important to remember why you started and accept it will take time to build your social enterprise. One model does not fit all.3. Falling into the perfection trap – “I just want everything to be perfect first like [insert organisation name].”
This type of comparison is why many people don't even start their own social enterprise. You look at the organisations at the top of your industry and set your standards too high. Instead of working with what you have, you strive for perfection. I’ll let you in on a little secret: things are never perfect, not even for the organisations that are thriving! Work with what you have now and keep learning and building as you go. By being aware of how you compare your social enterprise to others, you can choose to do things differently.- Start believing in yourself and know you have something valuable to offer
- Stop comparing your social enterprise to others. Be grateful for your journey and where you are right now.
- Start running your own race and don’t give into FOMO.
- Stop trying to do it alone. You will be surprised at the number of people willing to help you when you ask.