Fear is inevitable for anyone. It doesn’t care whether you are rich or poor, successful or on the brink of failure. It comes and goes as it pleases with little or no warning signs and you are left to deal with it. Don’t let any doubts you may have about whether or not this will work, or “should we even try that?” creep in and try to stop you from pursuing your dreams of owning a successful business. Instead of letting uncertainty consume you and your life, take it with a grain of salt and pick yourself up out of the slumps. It’s up to you to fight for the future you desire.
We are currently in some tough times in the world, though tough times don’t last forever. It’s important to remember this when you feel overwhelmed with struggle: this adversity you face is an opportunity for you. An opportunity to re-think your business and it’s values. To take the time to realize what it is that is really important to you and use it to your advantage. Think about all of the things that you do have control over. Your own future should be on the top of that list. You have the ability to plan out an ideal future for yourself and your business. What comes next is simply to back-track those steps to get you on the correct path toward reaching that vision.
The circumstances that come with this quarantine don’t give us a whole lot of wiggle room. All that means to me is that we have to get our brain juices pumping more than ever and get super creative. Maybe you cut costs on some things that have just been “extras” that you don’t really need or use. Starting an online presence for a business that previously was strictly brick-and-mortar. I’ve even seen quite a few places that are teaming up with other local businesses in their area to bring a whole new experience to the community (as much as you can while socially distancing, that is). Some of these ideas might last beyond this virus-ridden world and even end up thriving, which is ideal. Other ideas may only make sense for right now, and that’s perfectly fine. What matters is that you are giving it your all, trying things that may or may not work, and learning from the outcomes. But most importantly: never stop working towards your future.
When you can shift your mindset from one of panic and doubt to one that is future-focused and looking for opportunities is when you can begin to plan out the road ahead of you. I heard a quote the other day in a presentation that my mentor was giving that said “Until you believe it, you won’t see it”. It was so powerful and stuck with me because a lot of what I teach to people is that exactly. If you believe that you will make it through this crisis, then you absolutely will, one way or another. Now, no one is certain of anything that the future might hold, but when you learn to function in that state of doing the best you can with what you have right now, that is what a successful business looks like. One that knows what it stands for. One that believes in itself and the promise of tomorrow so much, it refuses to give in to anything trying to hold it back. One who’s vision for themselves is so crystal clear that everyone around them can see it too and support it fully. And that is how you make it through any crisis or downturn in business: support from those around you. No one can do it all by their self.
When things go awry, it’s easy to sit back and point out all of the stuff you should have done, or perhaps should have done differently and then maybe you wouldn’t be in this situation. Hindsight and it’s 20/20 vision never fail. But letting your attention be swept up in what scares you will only make you spiral faster. The key is all in your mindset. Choose wisely.
