How Believing in Yourself Affects Your Success (Interview with Evan Carmichael)

About this episode

In this special episode, I conducted only my second English-language interview ever. I was a guest on Evan Carmichael's YouTube channel livestream, where we discussed a fundamental topic for every founder: How believing in yourself affects your success.

Why #believe is Evan's "One Word"

Evan Carmichael didn't choose "#believe" as his core word by accident. As a successful entrepreneur and author, he understands that believing in yourself forms the foundation for any entrepreneurial success. Without this inner conviction, even the best business ideas remain nothing more than castles in the air.

The Connection Between Self-Confidence and Success

Why should you believe in yourself to be successful? The answer lies in the very nature of entrepreneurship itself. As a founder, you constantly face challenges, setbacks, and doubts – both from external sources and from within. Without strong belief in your vision and capabilities, you'll give up at the first major obstacle.

Self-confidence isn't just a "nice-to-have" – it's a crucial success factor. It influences how you make decisions, how you speak with investors, and how you motivate your team.

Practical Ways to Build Self-Confidence

But how can you concretely strengthen your self-confidence? Evan's approach is pragmatic and actionable:

• –Collect small wins: Set achievable interim goals and consciously celebrate them
• –Actively seek feedback: Learn from constructive criticism instead of fearing it
• –Identify your strengths: Focus on what you do well rather than fixating on weaknesses
• –Consciously choose your environment: Surround yourself with people who believe in you and support you

Recognizing and Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

A central point of our conversation was becoming aware of limiting beliefs. These invisible barriers in our minds often sabotage our success before we've even properly started.

Typical limiting beliefs among founders include:

• –"I'm not good enough for this market"
• –"Others can do this better than I can"
• –"I don't have the right network"

Awareness is always the first step. Only when you recognize which negative thought patterns are holding you back can you actively work to break through them.

The Power of Your #1 Value

Why is it so important to find your most important value? Evan explains that your core value functions like an internal compass. It helps you make difficult decisions and gives you clarity in confusing situations.

As a founder, you're confronted with hundreds of decisions daily. When you know your core value, you have a reliable guide that helps you act authentically and consistently.

Evan's Book "Your One Word"

The motivation behind Evan's book "Your One Word" stems from his own experience as an entrepreneur. He realized that successful people often have one word that encapsulates their essence and drive. This one word becomes their North Star, guiding them through all ups and downs.

Conclusion

Believing in yourself isn't a luxury – it's a necessity for anyone who wants to succeed as a founder. It's not about blind self-confidence, but about a realistic yet optimistic assessment of your own abilities and possibilities.

Evan Carmichael's approach shows that success begins in the mind. Those who learn to overcome limiting beliefs and systematically strengthen their self-confidence create the foundation for sustainable entrepreneurial success.