After running the Etsy Digital Seller community on Reddit for the past few months, I see a pattern emerging for 3 different types of new sellers on Etsy.

I want to draw attention to this as I think there is an assumption that if a person doesn’t succeed on Etsy it’s because their product was not good enough or their niche was too competitive.

But I think that underlying this is something even more fundamental and influential: the role of mindset.

As I go through each type of seller mindset, see if you can relate to any of these.

The Curious Learner

• They and open-minded and inquisitive.
• They know they have a lot to learn and are eager to do that.
• They understand that growth on Etsy can be slow and they are ready to put in the time and work to succeed.
• They can work through problems independently, but appreciate advice now and then.
• They are happy to experiment and see where this leads.
• They like gathering data to help them make decisions.
• They are flexible and adaptable. They are open to making big changes, but don’t to it without research and data to back it up.
• They look to competitors for inspiration and explore ways to add value.
• They are cautiously optimistic.

The Confused Worrier

• They are anxious and worried.
• They always assume they are doing something wrong.
• They don’t have any belief in themselves or their skills.
• They want someone to guide them through every step in the process.
• They feel overwhelmed and confused much of the time.
• They frequently feel like giving up.
• They focus on things that are out of their control.
• They hyper-fixate on details and don’t see the bigger picture.
• They are reluctant to start or try something in case it doesn’t work out.
• They are highly risk averse.
• They doubt whether they can succeed.

The Shortcut Seeker

• They are impatient and closed-minded.
• They want people to give them all the answers so that they can succeed with minimal time and effort.
• They are defensive if questioned or critiqued.
• They feel that things are unfair. Why are other sellers successful when they are not?
• They expect things to happen quickly otherwise assume it’s all a waste of time.
• They give up quickly, switch ideas frequently and make emotional decisions.
• They copy competitors directly to try to get a shortcut to success.
• If they can’t succeed, they blame it on “gurus” leading them astray or on “oversaturation”.
• They become bitter and spread the message that because they couldn’t succeed, no one can.

Which of these sounds like you? Or perhaps you can relate to aspects of each of them?

In my opinion, people with a growth mindset will be more likely to succeed on Etsy in the long term.

Etsy is not a get rick quick scheme. It can take years to build and grow into a successful, sustainable business.

If you identify with the other mindsets, don’t despair. This is a good opportunity to take a hard look at yourself and the attitudes and beliefs that may be holding you back.

To succeed on Etsy you of course need to be selling a quality product that customers want, but you also need the right mindset to see you through all the tough times.

If you want a guide to opening a new Etsy shop from someone who has been through all those challenges and come out the other side with a 6-figure business, you might enjoy my ebook Make Money Selling Digital Products on Etsy.