One of the options for anyone wanting to change career is to be an entrepreneur. One of the things that stops people from even thinking about becoming an entrepreneur is the idea that it’s a young person’s game, that anyone over 30 has no chance. A couple of weeks ago I was at an internet marketing seminar where I swear the average age was about 60. They clearly thought you could become an entrepreneur later on in life.

Yesterday, this great email arrived in my inbox from one of my mentors, Neil Asher. Neil has a Digital Marketing Agency, called RoarLocal. They do an amazing job on the digital marketing front, with a powerful command of the best ways to attract traffic and sell your wares, and if you’re looking for help in that department, they are well worth talking to, or at least following.  Neil is a living, breathing, example of career success as an entrepreneur. He has spent a lot of time studying what works in business, both in terms of practical strategies and mindset. This one is all about mindset.

So let’s hear it from Mr Asher. It’s a great read.

“Last week I turned 42

As usual I spent the day with family and friends 
and lay awake at night contemplating life and my 
place in it.

This habitual philosophising has become a 
hallmark of my birthdays and I’ve found it an 
interesting intellectual exercise.

This time however I got to thinking about getting 
older and being an entrepreneur as I age.

I know many of my friends who work in jobs have 
thought about breaking free and starting their 
own business and so I thought I’d share some 
insights into slaying the “I’m too old to start a 
business” dragon that lurks in us all.

First up, for many of us (myself included) the
first thing we’ll try is rational thought, we’ll try and 
reason with ourselves.

Just know that this will NEVER work…

Shrinks spend years with patients trying to
get them to be more rational about their lives 
with little effect.

Instead, know that the super ego inside your
head is the scolding parent’s voice, or the dark 
asshole living inside you who refuses to allow you
to claim victory for anything (or to ever feel pretty,
or competent, or anything above the pure shame 
of being a flawed, horrible person).

That’s the voice that rises in volume late at night 
and during times of self doubt… and yes, it really 
is trying to crush your spirit.

Nobody truly understands why our “brain 
software” has this quirk in it. Sociopaths don’t 
have it, which is how they rise so quickly to 
powerful positions in business, politics and life.

They’re operating with shameless (and often 
ethical-less) efficiency, while the good people 
around them struggle with feelings of inadequacy 
and shame.

You can’t “think” your way around this voice. You 
gotta just roll up your sleeves and deal with it like 
you would a home invader — with viciousness 
and ruthless counter-moves.

Step One: Identify the voice, separate it from the 
other random chatter in your head, and give it 
form — I imagine mine as a snake in a suit, a truly 
despicable creature who’s just trying to ruin 
things. Giving the voice a “shape” makes it easier 
for the following steps.

Step Two: Confront the little bastard. This is a
 Jungian tactic for nightmares (“turn and face 
what’s chasing you”) that understands how our 
fears shrivel under close inspection. Turn to your 
invading snake (or whatever form you’ve made 
the voice into) and say, quote: “Shut the fuck up!” 
In your mind’s eye, move into the snake’s space 
and back the little creep up into the wall.

Step Three: Now imagine either a closed door or 
a big soundproof box. Force Mr Snake into it, and 
lock it up. Don’t even imagine a muffled sound 
coming out — he’s completely locked away, out 
of sight and mind.

Step Four: Get on with your pursuit of specific 
goals.

Sounds too simple to work, doesn’t it. Get over 
your doubts — this is professional-level brain 
management. (And yes, it works with nightmares, 
too.)

You won’t banish your fears forever — they’ll get 
out and try to slip into the conversation again 
tomorrow, or even an hour later. Doesn’t matter 
— you simply go through the process again.
And again. And again, as many times as you 
need to until his absences get longer and his 
reappearances more brief.

It’s just a voice. A nasty voice that knows how to 
wound you, but plays no proactive role in your 
pursuit of a good life.

You do not “risk” any damage to yourself 
whatsoever by doing all this. You won’t turn into a 
sociopath (and you wouldn’t even need to know 
about this process if you were one already, as 
you wouldn’t even HAVE Mr Snake hanging 
around in the first place).

He’s not performing some secret vital function for
you — he’s pure non-essential crap, like crumbs 
in your keyboard that play no positive role, yet 
show up frequently (especially if you eat at your 
desk, like most entrepreneurs do), and just need 
to be pounded out of the keys occasionally so 
you can get back to your work without the keys
sticking.

I give you permission to use this tactic 
immediately. It works every time. You may need 
to get good at it, and Mr Snake may be better 
than you at escaping right now, but you can 
overcome that with a dedicated effort.

Good luck.

Oh, and the idea that there is some sort of 
benchmark age you should quit trying to become 
an entrepreneur is nonsense. Only in the rise of 
Hollywood over the last century has the idea that
being young is essential to being creative taken 
hold. It’s bullshit. Older and wiser beats younger 
and dumber every time. The ONLY thing youth 
wins at is stuff that requires quick physical
recovery or lack of regular sleep.

Extra Tip: Sleep is your friend. When I get sleep 
deprived, I feel actual depression coming on.
A quick nap obliterates it… which means the “down” 
feeling was nothing more than my internal system 
feeling drained. Sleep conquers almost all the ills 
short of serious sickness.

Now get out and enjoy your weekend!

Neil”

If you want to know more about how to have a career success mindset,

check out my ebook, How To Have A Career That Really Works For You.