Over the course of history, there have been countless economic and health crises that affected our world drastically. One thing I know for sure that they all have in common? No matter what happened, we got through it. And we will get through this, too. It’s a matter of realizing and accepting the change that comes with it.
New regulations are being introduced left and right. Schools, businesses, parks, are all going to have to function a little differently from here on out. It can be a little scary to watch what you once knew change so drastically. That is why we are seeing a lot of fear and anxiety in people right now. Whether it’s economic, employee downturn, a product not working, every business experiences a crisis situation at one point of another. When these times of uncertainty arise and fear sets in, it can be hard to make a move at all. That is because, I believe, there are barriers we must first get over before we can fully accept our current situations and figure out how to move forward in them. To finally stop and say “I’m not going to wait around for anyone to save me, I’m going to do it myself”.
The first of these five barriers that hold many back is the “It’s been done before” excuse. Thinking “Why would anyone want to buy from me? Why would anyone want to work with me? It’s already been done before.” The fact that it has been done before only means it’s a proven concept. People may have seen your product or service offered elsewhere, but nobody else is doing the way you are doing it. See? There are countless pizza shops out there and cafes, but you like the one that you go to best. Even though you could have anyone’s pizza or coffee, you choose a specific one. That’s because everyone has different tastes, perspectives, and outlooks on things. If you do your own thing and own it, people will recognize and patronize your business because of it.
The second barrier is trying to be everything to everyone. Generalizing your business in such a way that you think you have to do everything that the customer needs. Focus on what it is that you do that’s uniquely different and yours and attract your specific customer base that way. Stand out instead of blending in.
The third barrier is a big one: Being concerned with what people think. It’s one of the hardest things to let go of, but the fact is you have no control over it. What people say or feel about you is completely out of your hands, and frankly, it doesn’t matter. What matters is you having an understanding of your business. What it does, what it stands for, and knowing that whatever decisions you make is for the good of your business and the vision you have for it. All of the negativity out there combined is no match for what you know to be true about your business, and for every negative comment, a thousand positive ones will be made in your defense from the people that know you it as well.
Number four? Not sticking with something because it may not have worked at first. When you’re faced with adversity in any measure, you have to start trying new things in order to figure out what works. If a new idea you had didn’t immediately stick, don’t completely abandon it. Go back and look at what it was about this idea that may not have worked. Figure out how to do it differently next time around and track those results as well. It’s all trial and error when functioning in uncharted territory. You don’t have to be perfect right of the bat, just keep trying new ways and versions until it works to your liking.
The fifth and final barrier is the negative energy fuelling our thoughts. Making decisions and acting on them in a state of chaos and desperation isn’t going to end well for anyone. They are usually very rash decisions made out of fear that won’t serve us in the long run. What we put in is what we get out, and if we put in a bunch of stressed out energy, we’ll end up more burnt out than we were before. We want to make sure we have a clear and calm mindset before we begin to make plans on moving forward.
I’ve functioned in crisis situations poorly in the past, and it never turns out in my favor. It usually just leads to feeling crappy about yourself and your business. And nobody wants to feel that way. Take the time for yourself to slow down a bit so that you may catch up with the changing world around you. Take a deep breath and alter your state of mind from that of chaos and anxiety to possibility and opportunity. Build resilience within yourself so that whenever these situations arise like they tend to do, you can continue to thrive.
I want to take this opportunity to invite you to my launch of The Business Adversity Master Plan, where I am going to be live coaching others that may be struggling in these times. I’d like you to join me in this session which also has some associated videos and worksheets that you can work through during the live coaching to help you build a resiliency to chaos in your business and continue to grow it into what you’ve always dreamed it could be. Head to theresacantley.com/businessadversitymasterplan to reserve your spot in advance. Limited seats are available, so take this opportunity now to start owning your future.
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LINKS:
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Episode 62 – Authentic vs Consistent
Episode 61 – 3 Gifts That We Are Given
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