Episode 60 : How To Be The Dream Business Owner You Want to Be.....Now

Feeling stuck? Not seeing the results? It might not be your strategy — it might be your identity.

In this powerful episode of Productivity for Profit, Libby explores one of the most important mindset shifts entrepreneurs and business owners can make:
👉 Your business will never consistently outperform your identity.

That means: if the current version of you doesn’t fully believe you’re capable of leading, earning, growing or succeeding — you’ll keep bumping into the same frustrations, even if your strategy is solid.

But here’s the good news:
 You don’t need to wait for external success before stepping into the next version of you.
 You can start embodying her now — in your mindset, decisions, energy and habits.

Why this matters:

When your identity is in alignment with your ambition and your biggest goals, everything changes.
 Your focus increases.
 You make the right decisions confidently
 You take bolder action — and you actually follow through.
 You stop holding back or waiting for permission.
 And your results finally start to reflect the work you’ve been putting in.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why waiting to feel ready is keeping you stuck
• How identity shapes your results more than your to-do list ever could
• The key ways to start embodying your future self — right now
• A reframe that will shift how you think about growth, goals and self-belief
• Why acting from your future identity is more powerful than acting toward it

🎧 Plus: Libby guides you through a simple but transformative mindset exercise at the end of the episode to help you define your next-level identity and begin aligning your actions, and energy with it straight away.

📄 There’s also a free worksheet to help you go deeper with the prompts and questions in this episode — grab it HERE and set aside a moment to reflect and write.

If you're ready to unlock more ease, clarity and momentum in your business — this episode will show you how.

Full Transcript

About Your Host Libby Knight:

Hi, it's lovely to meet you.
I'm Libby, business strategy mentor and mindset coach.
I help ambitious and creative entrepreneurs to grow their service based businesses with confidence, in an environment where they can be seen and heard and feel safe.  My goal is to empower you to create a business on your terms so that you have the tools, skills and knowledge you need to build and grow your business in a way that makes you truly happy.
I teach effective mindset techniques that, together with the right business strategy, will empower you to overcome the limiting beliefs that hold you back.

This is feel-good business development!

Join my mailing list : HERE

How you can work with me:

1:1 mentoring  to dive deep into your beautiful business.  Together we will clear your blocks and create your growth plan so that you can take the next big leap in your business   https://www.libby-knight.com

The POP Business Boutique is a small mentoring membership with bi-monthly live coaching and a library of workshops that cover all areas of sales, marketing, growth and mindset.  Want a virtual tour to see if it's for you?  No problem.
For more information visit : https://libby-knight.com/online-group-mentoring/

Follow on Facebook: 

Transcript

Episode 60 : How To Be The Dream Business Owner You Want to Be.....Now  

Welcome back to the Productivity for Profit podcast — the online space for entrepreneurs and business owners where we do business differently - without the burnout, the hustle, or the pressure.

I’m Libby Knight — business mentor & multiple brain coach, and I’m on a mission to redefine productivity. Because I want all of us to create a business that not only works to bring in income , but actually feels good to run.

Today’s episode is inspired by a real conversation I had with a 1:1 client last week.  It’s a powerful truth that we often forget. And it’s this…

You can’t outperform your identity. But…

You don’t need to wait until the stars align to become the next version of you. The one that will reach those bigger goals or live the balanced life that feels harmonious.

You can — and should be— showing up as her now.  But how?  That’s what we’re going to talk about.

In this episode I’m going to give you a way to embody that future version of yourself, today — so that she shows up in your energy, your decisions, your voice, and in your mindset.

Because this is what will change what you create, what you attract, and what becomes possible for you.

So, let’s dive into what it really means to stop holding back waiting for something to happen that allows us to feel a certain way, and start being the version of you who already has the results you want.

So many entrepreneurs are waiting, waiting for something outside of themselves — whether that’s more income, more time, or someone’s permission — before they feel able to fully step into and embody that next level version of who they are in their business.  Which is why they are still waiting.  

Because you know what? This way is backwards. 

The real shift happens when you decide – and yes, it is YOUR responsibility to decide for yourself - to be that version of yourself now.  And that is the catalyst to creating the change you’ve wanted for so long but has proven to be so elusive.

So are you ready for a powerful reframe that will help you stop waiting and start becoming the next version of you. 

This identity shift  is the missing piece to stepping into confidence, into consistent progress, into more ease, and into creating the  momentum that produces results. So, if you’ve been confused as to why change hasn’t happened, or frustrated with your lack of momentum or progress, it’s quite likely due to a lack of change in your identity. And as we know if you keep being the same person, you’ll keep getting the same experiences.

Question …Have you ever set a bold, exciting goal at the start of the year — the kind that makes you feel a bit nervous (but in a good way)...
 Only to get a few months in and realise you haven’t made much progress?

You might blame it on a lack of time, lack of focus, other priorities, a myriad of possible reasons for why you haven’t made as much progress as you expected from the amount of work you’ve been putting in, but behind the excuses, the real reason could be deeper than that.
👉 It might be because the goal you set doesn’t match who you currently believe you are.

Here’s the thing:
 We act in line with who we believe we are.
So if you’ve got a brilliant, brave, next-level goal, but deep down your identity is still stuck in “I’m not ready yet” or “I’m not the kind of person who...” mindset, then how are you going to step into discomfort repeatedly which is necessary to reach heights you haven’t reached before, so that you can do what needs to be done?

If you currently identify is a worrier or fearful, or stressed, for example, how can your nervous system, your choices, and your actions fully support your goal.

It’s like trying to build a house on top of foundations that haven’t quite set yet.  They’re a bit wobbly, not deep enough, not strong and supportive enough.  And isn’t it so much harder to build a house of your dreams on those shaky foundations?

If you resonate with this this analogy and think that this could be you,  what can you do about it?

Start by asking yourself:

• Who do I need to become in order to reach my main goal?
• What beliefs, habits, and decisions would the version of me who successfully achieves that goal make?
• What do I need to let go of because it’s been holding me back or stopping me from getting to the finishing line?

And when you answer these questions they’ll reveal clues that will help you to recognise the current identity you’ve been operating in, the one you’ve been embodying and acting from.  For example, are you still acting like the beginner, the part-timer, the hesitant one,  — even though you know deep down you’re ready to lead, grow, and serve at a higher level? To make a bigger income?  To have more impact?  But you’re not, because you don’t identify as someone who can, who’s ready.

So if you’re going to achieve the dream, it’s time for an identity upgrade, one that matches the life and business you’ve been envisioning. 

And what are the steps that you need to take to upgrade your current identity so that you can  become the person you need to be to reach those hairy scary goals?  

Because real, lasting growth doesn’t come from pushing harder, and longer, with complex plans and more qualifications.
 It comes from matching your identity with your ambition — and letting your actions follow.

You don’t become this next version of yourself after something’s changed in your life — things change because you are the change by becoming the next version of yourself first.

 Now let me make it clear, this isn’t fake it til you make it or pretend. It’s choose it, embody it, practice it.  And that’s not something that you can just switch on.  If it were that easy you would have done it the 1st time you heard about the idea of embodying the CEO mindset or stepping into the identity of the future you.

But that didn’t happen for most people.

So, let’s dive in to how this time, you can not just hear the idea, but incorporate it fully into your life.

By answering the earlier questions – and don’t worry they are in the downloadable worksheet that accompanies this episode – just go to the show notes and you’ll find the link - answering these questions helps you to identify the space between your current identity and the identity of the future you who achieves your goals and dreams, and this is going to further explain why things have been the way they have until now and why you keep getting stuck. 

So what next?

Identify this new version of you who accomplishes the things you’ve only dreamt of - that next-level business owner identity.   I’m going to show you one method of doing this in a few minutes.

I’ll also show you ways to immerse yourself into that new you, to embody that future version of yourself right now by shifting both your actions and your energy.

If you can achieve that, it’s going to create a natural momentum and different results internally, before the external changes start to happen.

 I’m going help you to look for evidence that you have these new traits within you already, so that you can believe it’s possible, rather than thinking it’s an insurmountable transition or that you need to be someone other than the real you. Remember this is an identity upgrade, not losing the great parts of who you are.

And the by -product is going to be that through better decision making that feels better aligned because you are walking in the shoes of this new you, you’re automatically going to have vastly improved levels of productivity aka doing the right thing at the right time with the right energy and as a by-product, better results.

So now let me ask you this…

Do you recognise this waiting pattern that does actually feels like common sense, but as you’ll see, doesn’t make sense at all.

You’re thinking…
 “Once I’ve made more income / I’ll feel confident to invest in help / which will take stuff off my plate and I’ll have a real business / and feel like a real business owner / and I’ll enjoy my business more than I do now and this will make me feel like an expert.  

Your conditioning is telling you this narrative, this version of a possible truth.  But if you think about it, that’s backwards. Identity doesn’t follow results. Results follow identity. So, you don’t need to wait to feel like an expert, income has no bearing on your skills and impact on those you help, in fact income is a by-product of applying the  expertise you already are. So go ahead and be that expert, help more people, yes get any help you want to keep moving and progressing in your business development, but don’t wait until after you’ve done the course or hired the help, be the leader and the decision maker now, enjoy the journey’s ups and downs, stay curious and be optimistic, and inevitably the income you want will be the consequence of the business owner you are embodying every day.  And do it all without the need to feel ‘ready’. Because to be honest, when will that day be, how will you know, what will it take.  What are you actually waiting for?

Here’s an example for you - When I raised my prices I didn’t do it when the right clients had found me, I did it so that the right clients would find me.  I did that feeling like the expert I already was.  

I didn’t invest in coaching and mentoring when I had made my income target, I invested in the right mentoring to achieve my income target.  I did that believing in inevitable success, not from fear of failure. I believed in myself, my experience, and my abilities. That’s my identity. And I know that when I operate from that place, I will attract the clients I want.

So if your Identity is the pivotal part of the puzzle , which traits does this new future you have?

Imagine the same business, led by two leaders with different identities. One is nervous of offering their services, afraid to fail and doesn’t feel ready.  The other is willing to try, ready for whatever results happen, and detaches their sense of self-worth from the results of their first attempts – which one of these two business owners do you think will be more successful in 3 years time?  These two businesses will undoubtedly have different results, there’s no two ways about it. 

So, applying this to yourself, if your business was led by the current you vs the ideal future you, how could the two futures look, how different would they be?

Looking at it another way, your business will never consistently outperform your identity.  So, take a moment to identify the characteristics necessary to achieve the results and what could stop you.  That’s how you’re going to upgrade your identity. 

You now know the theory and hopefully you can see the value in taking some time to consider upgrading your business owner identity.  But there is a difference between understanding the theory and truly knowing what it’s like to BE that version of you, to embody it, to have 1st hand experience.  And that’s the key.  Not stopping when you’ve consumed the information, but applying it in your everyday life.

Let’s take a look at What Embodying the Future You Looks Like

If you’re serious about making profound lasting change, take a little time to answer the following questions – they’re in that resource I mentioned so download it and block out time to free write.

You’re going to Ask Yourself :

• Who is the next version of me as a business owner?
• What am I known for?
• What do I no longer tolerate or waste time on as the upgraded version of myself? In other words, what boundaries do I have in place?
• How do I speak, write, sell? Because your new identity will show up everywhere, in every aspect of your business.
• What does my calendar look like? What’s in? What’s out? What’s a priority?
• What decisions does the new version of me say yes/no to?

The ideas is that instead of acting towards that new identity… you’re acting from it.

How does that manifest?

What does Embodying The New You look like?

·        Think like her by upgrading your inner narrative and default thoughts

·        Write like her — in your bios, emails, posts, sales pages

·        Speak like her — even in voice notes, lives, at networking, in meetings

·        Decide like her — no more small or reactive thinking, no overthinking or flipping back and forth

·        Feel like her — by tapping into her high vibration energy and empowered emotions now

·        Act like her — by taking action and trying new ways of doing things, even if it feels a little brave or uncomfortable

And if you’re wondering how This Affects Productivity

You’ll notice yourself shift from trying to earn success by working harder and harder, without a clear direction or focus, to Acting like the version of you who already has what you want and only doing what moves the needle to achieve that and that alone.

How? Through…

• More clarity → fewer false starts or wasted time on fluff that doesn’t produce results
• Greater confidence → taking bolder action than you thought you could
• More discernment → setting better boundaries that serve and protect you, and refusing to allow distractions that pull you off plan
• Motivation that lasts — because it’s identity-fuelled, not task-driven

So before I take you through an exercise to help you decide on the future version of you, let’s finish with a few thoughts...

• Stepping into the new version of you isn’t about pretending. It’s about discernment and prioritising your dreams. You’re not faking it — you’re embodying it.
• You don’t get to a fictitious destination and automatically become her, rather you be her — and that’s what empowers you to achieve what you haven’t been able to achieve before.

As promised, I’m now going to guide you through a simple but powerful exercise to help you define the next-level version of you — so you can start showing up with the mindset, thoughts, energy and habits that match the big goals you’re aiming for and the success you want to create. (Listen to the visualisation exercise in the podcast at 23.15).

This is the kind of work we do on my retreats, 1:1 mentoring sessions and in my membership, The POP Business Boutique, because the most effective way to grow your beautiful business is to combine the power of business mentoring and mindset coaching, because when you grow, so does your business. 

If you enjoyed this episode, you can enjoy more in your favourite podcast directory.  Don’t forget to subscribe and share with anyone that you know could benefit.  And of course, I would be so grateful if you could leave a review, so that more people can discover the valuable insights inside the Productivity for Profit Podcast.

To find out more about how I help entrepreneurs and business owners who are passionate about impacting the world, you’ll find all the ways to connect and work together in the show notes.

Thanks so much for listening and I’ll see you again on the next episode.